


Mind Games

by jeneralreading



Category: Let's Play (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Anxiety, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Sex, F/M, Family Angst, Family Drama, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Fights, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holding Hands, Kissing, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:12:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 34,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26460181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeneralreading/pseuds/jeneralreading
Summary: Sam and Marshall begin a budding romance in a world filled with super powers. Marshall quickly finds himself drawn to Sam, and Sam to him, but the secret he holds ends up nearly tearing them apart.
Relationships: Marshall Law/Sam Young (Let's Play)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Boxes and Blushes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben moves into his new apartment and meets his neighbor Sam for the first time, who eagerly helps him move his boxes into his apartment.

Ben exhaled sharply as he set down the last of his moving boxes. He fished in his pocket for his new key and finally found it buried beneath his wallet. _I should have put this right on my keychain when Ms. Whipple gave it to me_ , he thought to himself sharply as he shoved the key in his lock and eased the door open. The sturdy steel door swung inward to reveal a well-sized single bedroom apartment, complete with a modern kitchen, a spacious living room, and a bedroom large enough for his newly-acquired queen sized bed. He looked around proudly, his hands resting lazily on his hips as he surveyed his newfound independent space and roughly planned the arrangement of his belongings.

“Oh shit, my boxes!” he cried as he dashed back out of his front door and nearly collided with a demure, mousy haired young woman striding swiftly down the corridor.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” blurted Ben as he screeched to a halt before her. She lowered her arms, which had been shielding her face moments before, and peered up at him timidly through spotless black-rimmed glasses. Her oversized gray sweatshirt hung loosely over her small frame, complimented by a pair of baggy black sweatpants and unassuming plastic sandals.

“N-no its okay, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” she stammered as she fiddled nervously with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

“Alright, but I’ll still take most of the blame for running out of my apartment without checking first,” chuckled Ben. “I’m Marshall Law by the way, nice to meet you.” The name felt foreign on his lips, but he brushed the feeling aside and extended his right hand confidently.

“Nice to meet you Marshall, I’m Sam Young,” she said as she placed her palm against his. His hand engulfed hers as they shared an awkward handshake. Sam quickly slid her hand from his grasp and replaced it at her side, a mild blush blooming on her cheeks.

“So you live here, I take it?” asked Ben as he glanced down either side of the hallway.

“Yeah, actually it looks like we’re neighbors,” said Sam, her lips betraying the hint of a smile.

“Then I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” said Ben with a smirk as he swiped his shoulder-length black locks from his face and peered down at Sam. She blushed heavily as their gaze met and quickly looked away, suddenly engrossed with the stacks of moving boxes outside Ben’s door.

“Did you need help with these?” she asked, gesturing towards the teetering cardboard box towers.

“Nah don’t worry about it, I can get it,” said Ben as he rubbed his shoulders. “I was just taking a little break after carrying all these upstairs. It didn’t realize how much stuff I actually had until I was dragging it up multiple floors by hand.”

“Its really no trouble for me,” said Sam as she placed herself before a lone box labelled _Books_. Suddenly, the box levitated a foot off the ground and zoomed towards Ben’s open door. He yelped and leapt aside, narrowly dodging the hefty box hurtling in his direction.

“Woah, your power is telekinesis?” said Ben incredulously as Sam strolled behind the floating box. It settled neatly against the wall in his living room. She spun on her heels and nodded as she headed towards the remaining boxes outside.

“Telekinesis, and telepathy as well,” said Sam, blushing slightly.

“That’s so cool!” said Ben. “I can just fly, which is useful, I guess, but your powers are so much cooler!”

“I think flying is pretty awesome if you ask me,” said Sam, a smile glowing on her face as she conducted a set of clothing boxes and one filled with movies through the front door and into the living room.

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree,” said Ben as he snagged a box of kitchen supplies from the pile. He refused to have his neighbor, who he just met, do all the work of bringing his belongings into his apartment. The two worked in silence, carting box after box into the apartment until finally the hallway was cleared of Ben’s things.

“Thanks so much for the help Sam,” said Ben as he surveyed the fruits of their labor. Each box was relatively placed in the location it was needed, at the insistence of Sam. “Your way of placing boxes is genius, it’ll be so much easier for me to unload everything now.” Sam blushed furiously and nodded, but said nothing in response.

“I’d love to make it up to you, if that’s okay,” started Ben as the thought of pizza popped into his mind. “How about pizza? I can bring it to your place if that works?”

“S-sure,” stammered Sam with a smile, her expression a mixture of anxiety and joy. Ben picked up the reluctance in her tone.

“If that makes you uncomfortable, we could…” Ben started, but Sam’s expression suddenly became fierce.

“No, pizza sounds great,” she said, strained confidence lacing her tone. Ben smiled and nodded in response.

“I’ll head over around six and we can order it then, sound good?”

“Sounds great, I’ll see you then” said Sam as she shot him a smile and slipped out his front door. Ben slumped into his plush black couch and regarded the sea of boxes around him, smiling to himself slightly. Thoughts of his neighbor Sam danced in his mind, which he attempted to quell without success. The dichotomy between her modest nature and her extraordinary power intrigued him, and he found himself wanting to know more about the shy woman next door.

\---------------------------------------

Sam slammed her front door behind her and dragged herself towards the couch, kicking her sandals off haphazardly as she went. She flopped down and smashed her face into the cushions with a groan. The woven fabric dug into her cheeks and forehead in a manner that she was sure left marks, but served as an oddly pleasant way to keep her from spiraling into a pit of anxiety.

She looked up moments later and met the steady gaze of her dog Bowser. He huffed slightly, his black and white fur ruffling as he scooted over and nudged her cheek with his damp nose.

“Thanks Bowser, I’m just overthinking things,” said Sam as she pushed herself upright and placed a gentle hand on his head. “We have a new neighbor. His name’s Marshall, and he seems...nice.” She blushed furiously as she recalled the handsome, angular features of Marshall’s face and the way his long hair drooped over his cheeks. Bowser eyed her suspiciously, but gladly accepted her absent-minded scratches.

“Anyways, he’s coming over tonight for some pizza,” Sam said, attempting to voice her concerns in the hope that it will alleviate some of her unease. Bowser settled his head on his paws as he slowly drifted off to sleep, leaving her alone with her tumultuous thoughts again. Sighing, Sam reached for the cell phone placed on the coffee table before her and quickly swept away the lock screen. She stared at her messaging app for a few moments, debating whether she should loop in her friends Vikki and Angela. I don’t really want to bother them, she thought dejectedly as her finger hovered over the app. Wincing, she finally opened it and began typing.

“Hey, would it be alright if I talked through something with you both?” Sam shakily sent. Her phone buzzed almost immediately and the responses appeared on the screen before her.

“Totally,” sent Vikki.

“Of course girl, what’s up?” sent Angela along with a smiling emoji.

Sam smiled as she settled into the virtual conversation and began typing swiftly.

“So I have this new neighbor that moved in today. His name’s Marshall, and I helped him move some boxes into his apartment. He insisted on bringing over pizza tonight as a thank you.”

“So you have a guy coming over tonight? Is he hot?” sent Angela with a devilish, grinning emoji.

“Sam that’s so exciting! He sounds like a nice person,” sent Vikki.

Sam blushed furiously at the messages, particularly Angela’s. The thought of Marshall’s features, his toned body and the way his muscles rippled when he had carried the boxes inside his apartment, and her blush deepend.

“He is nice, and he’s attractive, and I’m suddenly feeling nervous about it,” sent Sam, her heart skipping a beat as she typed out her admission that she found Marshall attractive.

“I don’t want to act weird, its not like he asked me out on a date. He’s doing this because he feels obligated to,” sent Sam quickly as a follow up.

“Even if it isn’t a date, you should still enjoy yourself Sam. Get to know him a bit, maybe even pick out a slightly nicer outfit than your usual Saturday clothes. I’m guessing you’ve got the usual sweats combo on, right?” sent Vikki.

“Do whatever you feel comfortable with Sam. Vikki’s right though, you might feel a little better if you pick out a different outfit,” sent Angela.

Sam stared down at the outfit Vikki correctly guessed and frowned. She always felt self-conscious, even in the clothes she wore to work, and dreaded what she felt would be a fruitless search through her wardrobe.

“You’re right, I should probably change,” sent Sam.

“Good luck! And if you need me to come kick his ass for whatever reason, just call!” sent Angela with a winking emoji.

“I’m so happy for you Sam, have fun tonight!” sent Vikki.

Sam grinned down at her phone, feeling the warm love of her friends radiating from their brief exchange. She felt a swell of courage as she marched over to her bedroom and stood before her closet, determination plastered on her face.

“Now what should I wear?” she muttered to herself as she riffled through her various sets of pants. She eventually settled on a pair of stretchy, fitted, dark navy jeans, accompanied by a loose, gaming-themed t-shirt.

“Better than what I was wearing, but still comfortable,” she said proudly as she observed herself in the mirror. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and realized she still had a few hours before Marshall would arrive.

“Guess I’ll go work on Evermake for a bit,” she said happily as she strolled over to her desk and plopped herself down in her desk chair. Her mind sharply focused on the story and mechanics of her newest game, and the world around her fell away to the mechanical sound of a clacking keyboard.


	2. Dinner and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben arrives at Sam's door, but realizes he forgot the promised pizza, prompting an impromptu flight.

Ben cranked the shower off and snagged his freshly-laundered towel from the towel rack. He felt refreshed and ready for an evening of pizza and conversation with Sam after hours of unpacking boxes and organizing his belongings in sensible locations around his apartment. The thought of his intriguing neighbor stirred a flurry of nerves in his stomach and colored his cheeks.

He ruffled his hair with his towel as he made his way to his bedroom, outfitted with a gleaming new dresser and bed. The heady smell of new furniture filled his nostrils as he slid open one of the drawers on his dresser, revealing neatly folded jeans and t-shirts. He quickly snagged one of his better-fitting jeans and one of his most comfortable gaming t-shirts, featuring a chibi McCree from Overwatch impatiently checking his watch, then deftly snatched a fresh pair of socks and boxer briefs from one of the smaller dresser drawers above. Satisfied with his wardrobe choices, he hurriedly tugged on his clothing and dashed to the kitchen. The digital clock on the microwave declared it was 5:55 PM. Startled at the sudden disappearance of time, Ben darted for the front door and messily leapt into a pair of old Vans. The heel of his right shoes stabbed uncomfortably into the back of his foot, but he ignored the discomfort as he wrenched his front door open, swiftly locked the door behind him, and swiftly made his way to Sam’s door.

He knocked softly and gave himself a moment to slow his quickened breath. He started at his empty hands as he heard the muffled sound of movement behind the door. My hands are empty, he thought. His heart leapt to his throat as he realized he’d forgotten an extremely critical item for tonight. The promise of pizza had been violently evicted from his thoughts by the monotony of physical labor interjected with sudden thoughts of Sam. Fearfully, he watched Sam’s front door creak open, but his brain screeched to a halt as his gaze met Sam’s.

Sam’s outfit had changed from the unassuming set of sweats and sandals to a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a charming gray t-shirt featuring Gremlin D Va smugly holding a bag of Doritos and a half-empty two-liter of Mountain Dew. Ben chuckled awkwardly as he pointed at his own shirt.

“We match,” he said as a wide grin stretched across his face. Sam blushed and returned his smile, then glanced between his shirt and hers.

“Even characters from the same game,” she chuckled as she stepped aside to let him in. Ben took a step towards the front door, then froze.

“Oh shit, pizza!” he said in a panic as he fished frantically in his pockets for his phone. He scrolled through his list of favorite pizza places and landed on one at random. “What toppings would you like? I’m up for anything, so just pick your favorite.”

“Hawaiian then,” said Sam, her eyes shimmering slightly with excitement.

“Great choice,” said Ben with a grin as he smashed the call button and impatiently waited for a server on the other line to pick up the phone. After quickly rattling off an order for a large ham and pineapple pizza, he thanked the person on the other end of the line and quickly hung up.

“I’ll be right back, I’m sorry I totally forgot,” he said as he levitated a foot off the ground in preparation for his flight.

“Could I...come with you?” ask Sam tentatively, shuffling her feet nervously. Ben grinned and extended his hand.

“Have you ever flown before?” he asked as he gently took hold of her diminutive hand and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Never,” said Sam breathlessly as Ben lifted her into the air beside him. She stared at her feet, a look of child-like wonder sparkling in her chocolate irises.

“Hold on to me, alright?” he said as he mustered the energy needed for a short, swift flight. Sam nodded and gripped him around his middle, her head brushing against his chest. A blush stained his cheeks at the sudden contact, but he quelled his emotions as he concentrated on the task at hand. He willed himself forward, and in a rush they took to the sky. Sam yelped and buried her face into his chest as they shot through the hallway and into the air. Her hair tickled his chin as it whipped about frantically in the wind.

They hurtled across the city, narrowly dodging around towering buildings. Traffic snaked along below them, appearing as small as a set of matchbox cars from their dizzying altitude. Ben glanced down for a moment and noticed Sam’s eyes were wide with excitement and darting around furiously, as if attempting to absorb every sight at once. She opened her mouth and seemed to say something, but the wind howling past his ears robbed him of her words. He attempted to respond as best he could with an apologetic expression, then noticed that they’d reached their destination.

Ben angled himself towards the ground and felt the familiar pull of gravity welcoming him back to the earth as his stomach attempted to retain the inertia of his previous flight path. He felt Sam’s hands dig roughly into his back as he felt her face burrow into his chest once more and tightened his grip around her reassuringly. Within moments, he slowed their descent and landed softly on the sidewalk.

“That was...both incredible and terrifying,” wheezed Sam as she hunched over to catch her breath. Her previously neat brown hair was now sticking up at strange angles, which she attempted to correct by furiously running her hands through her knotted locks.

“The first time’s definitely like that,” said Ben, thinking back to when he’d first shot off into the air in elementary school. “You get used to it after a while.”

“I don’t know if I could ever get used to that,” said Sam as she straightened. Ben flashed her a mischievous grin.

“I think if I took you flying enough you’d get used to it,” he said with a wink as he stepped up to the entrance of Giardo’s Pizzaria. “I’ll be right back, I’ll just snag the pizza and we can head back.”

A bored teenage girl stood behind the counter, absentmindedly cleaning a spot beside the register. She plaster on a smile as she greeted Ben and took his payment, then hurried off to the back to retrieve his pizza. She appeared moments later holding a box of pizza, steam snaking out from the edges. She slid the pizza over to him, then rattled off a scripted thank you with a reminder to buy their pizza again. He flashed her a smile, thanked her for her assistance, and strolled outside to find Sam fidgeting awkwardly as she waited.

“You okay to fly back? I’ll go slower this time,” said Ben, offering her his free arm. Sam nodded and timidly approached him. Her trembling fingers slid around his waist as he wrapped his arm tightly around her. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her gentle embrace.

“I’m ready,” she said, staring up at him with a smile. Ben blushed and nodded, his voice suddenly stuck in his throat, and the pair took off. Sam’s hair gently spun in the breeze of their slower pace, the locks pirouetting with one another in an entrancing waltz. He struggled to keep his eyes ahead, as Sam’s amazement with the staggering height drew his gaze. He wanted to drown in those wide chocolate eyes, feel the brush of his lips against…

 _Damn it Ben, stop_ , he admonished himself as he shoved his increasingly inappropriate thoughts to the side. _You just met her today, don’t fuck things up by jumping right into sex._ His thoughts drifted to his ex-girlfriend Monica, who he dated briefly in college. She was fierce and incredibly attractive, and they wasted no time in becoming physically intimate. Which was exactly the problem. They lacked in a deep, personal understanding with one another because their relationship mainly revolved around sex, which led Monica to break things off after only a couple months. Ben felt that familiar, sinking feeling when he thought of the abrupt way his only relationship ended, but one look at Sam’s glowing face banished his negative thoughts. He smiled softly to himself and gently drifted down from the skies and towards their apartment complex.

Ben’s shoes kissed the ground softly as he landed outside of Sam’s front door. He gently lowered her to the ground and slid his arm back to his side. A small jolt of sadness rattled through him as he instantly missed the close proximity to her, but he shoved the despondency away as he followed Sam inside.

“Go ahead and set the pizza on the counter, I’ll go grab plates,” said Sam as she shoved the front door open and kicked her shoes off in the entrance. Ben followed suit and stepped out of his Vans, ensuring they were arranged neatly out of the way next to Sam’s worn sneakers. He placed the pizza on the kitchen counter and flipped open the lid. The room was immediately doused in the salivating scents of cheese, warm bread, pineapple and ham, the sweetness intermingling irresistibly with the savory notes. Ben eyed a particularly large piece filled with large slices of ham and pineapple hungrily as his stomach growled loudly.

“Go ahead and grab the first piece, you earned it,” said Sam as she slid a round, white plate over to him.

“Are you sure? I got this for you.”

“Sure, but you also bought it and flew us to pick it up, I’d say you get first dibs.”

“Alright fine,” huffed Ben, his protesting stomach claiming victory over his excessive selflessness as he reached for his chosen piece. Sam snagged a piece as well and they ate in silence for a moment, each lost in the sweet and salty heaven that was a slice of Hawaiian pizza.

“I’m assuming moving isn’t your day job,” said Ben, bursting the stifling silence between them.

“No, I’m a programmer,” said Sam, chuckling slightly at Ben’s joke.

“Woah really? That’s so cool,” he said, his eyes alight with excitement. He’d always been mystified by people who knew their way around a computer, let alone constructed programs for them.

“Its nothing special,” said Sam, waving her hand as if to dismiss the compliment. “I work for a contract firm, so its a lot of small projects. Things like building a website for a company or an internal tool. Nothing too interesting, but it pays well and my dad runs the business, so I was already really familiar with how things worked when I started.”

“That’s still pretty cool,” said Ben as he snagged another piece of pizza from their dwindling supply. “How is it, working for your dad? Oh wait, sorry, that’s probably a super personal question, you don’t have to answer that.” He blushed and knuckled his forehead, cursing the way words slipped out of his mouth before he could think about their consequences.

“No worries,” said Sam brightly. “I really like working with my dad. I don’t see him all the time, he’s got plenty of meetings, but it gives me the chance to catch up with him more than I would if I were working at another company.”

“That’s nice,” he said with a smile as a deep sadness tangled with longing pooled in his chest and gripped his heart. He thought of his own father and their tumultuous history, culminating in Ben’s escape to his new apartment. He glanced around Sam’s apartment, taking in the simple, crisp decorations, avoiding eye contact with Sam at all cost. Though they’d only known each other a day, he got the distinct feeling that she would be able to pick up the despair lingering deep within him, and he desperately wanted to keep the cheerful mood they had just moments ago. His eyes fell on a furry, black and white ball that suddenly stretched, revealing a small, yawning Bowser.

“You have a dog?” exclaimed Ben as he leapt off his chair and darted towards the sofa.

“Yeah, his name’s Bowser,” said Sam as she followed behind him.

“Who’s a good boy Bowser,” he said in a deep, playful voice, his arm outstretched in an attempt to plant some scratches on Bowser’s head. Bowser glowered at him and shot Sam a questioning gaze.

“Let him pet you Bowser, its all right,” said Sam reassuringly. Bowser huffed, but settled his head on his paws, reluctantly allowing Ben to scratch behind his ears. He suppressed a giggle as he gently sat down on the couch beside Bowser and continued to stroke his head.

“He can be a bit wary of new people, but he’s friendly once you get to know him,” said Sam as she plopped down beside him.

“That's okay, I understand. Sorry Bowser for rushing up to you like that, I was just really excited to meet you.” Ben stared down at Bowser, a grin splashed across his face. Bowser pretended not to hear. He continued to take in his surroundings and his eyes landed on Sam’s computer desk. The lock screen displayed the words Evermake on one screen and Ruminate on the other.

“Are those the names of your favorite games?” said Ben, gesturing towards the lock screens.

“Actually...they’re the name of the two games I’ve made,” said Sam, blushing furiously. “Well, Ruminate is completely done, I’m still working on Evermake.” Ben whipped his head to the side in awe and locked eyes with Sam.

“You make games?” he said incredulously.

“Yeah, they’re just little indie games, but game development has always been a passion of mine.”

“Can I...am I allowed to play Ruminate?” Ben bit his lip, regretting the question immediately. He thought about his abandoned sketches and original game art designs that he refused to share with another soul and worried he’d crossed a line.

“Sure, I released it for free on an indie gaming website. Have you heard of Indigineer?” Sam’s cheeks glowed a deep shade of red, but her eyes were fierce and driven. Ben realized she was clearly proud of what she’d created and was glad to share it with him.

“I have, I’ve played a couple of games there,” said Ben. “I’ll look it up when I get home and give it a try.”

“Just make sure to read the instructions,” warned Sam. “It may look like an action game at first glance, but its actually a puzzle adventure game at its core.”

“That’s one of my favorite genres,” said Ben, excitement welling within him. “I always love how the challenging puzzles balance out with the story.”

“Same, and its even more fun creating them yourself,” said Sam, her eyes shimmering with joy. “Weaving puzzles in with the story and the setting can be more challenging than solving the puzzles themselves, its a great experience.”

“I can imagine,” said Ben as he felt his heart soar. _This woman has so many more facets to her than I first realized_ , he thought as he listened to Sam animatedly describe the video game development process. He nodded enthusiastically as she walked him through the development and testing phases. He nearly drowned in her sparkling eyes as she maintained focus on him. The timid woman that was there just moments ago had vanished, leaving behind a driven, fierce woman that enthusiastically laid bare her passion in life. Ben snapped back into reality as he realized Sam was staring at him expectantly.

“Marshall, are you okay?” asked Sam with concern.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine,” said Ben. “Sorry, I guess I’m pretty tired from all the moving and flying today.”

“Oh gosh, you’re right, I’m sorry. I went on a massive video game rant and totally forgot how late it is already.” Sam frantically snatched her phone from her coffee table and switched on the display. The digital clock read 11:30 PM.

“Woah yeah you’re right, I didn’t know it was that late already,” said Ben as he stifled a yawn behind the back of his hand. “I should probably head back to my apartment so we can both get some sleep.” Ben pushed himself off the couch and shuffled over to the door, his body leadened as the events of the day suddenly caught up with him.

“Oh, before I head back to my apartment, would it be alright if we trade numbers?” asked Ben bashfully as he slipped on his shoes. “I don’t...really know anyone else here besides Mrs. Whipple. You can totally say no if you’re not comfortable with it.” Ben scratched his head anxiously and shot Sam a shy glance. She blushed furiously, but nodded and handed him the cellphone still clutched in her hands. He swiftly entered his contact information, careful to write the name Marshall Law as opposed to his real name, and handed the phone back to her with a smile. Sam shot off a quick text, which he received immediately with a twinkling chime.

“Thanks Sam, I’ll see you later,” said Ben as he pulled open the door and stepped into the hallway beyond.

“See you later,” chirped Sam with a smile and a small wave as the door closed behind him.

 _I have to remember to check out Ruminate in the morning_ , thought Ben excitedly as he strolled towards his apartment, the scenes of his eventful night replaying happily in his mind.

\----------------------------------------

Sam slid to the ground against her front door as she heard the fading sound of Marshall’s footsteps outside. She stared at her phone in joyous disbelief, the response from Marshall of “Hi!” with a winking emoji shining up at her. She pondered happily on her evening with Marshall. She thought of her first experience with flight, of how safe and comfortable she felt in his arms as he shot them across the night sky.

She blushed furiously and shoved the romantic feelings away as another, stinging memory replaced them. Thoughts of a boy her age during high school, who turned her down flatly when she spilled her heart to him. She felt nothing for him now, but the ache of rejection remained. She glanced at her phone again, thinking of the soaring feeling she felt around Marshall and sighed.

“Bowser, I think I might like him,” she said quietly as she followed Bowser to her room. He let out a tired sigh as he hopped into Sam’s bed and curled up at the foot of the bed.

“I know, I only met him today, but there’s something about him that just feels _right_. I don’t know how to describe it. But I’m so nervous, I don’t want to ruin a friendship between us by throwing my feelings into the mix.” Sam groaned as she slipped into a set of comfortable pajamas, switched off the lights and slid beneath her sheets.

“I don’t want to make a mistake again,” Sam whispered to herself, a single tear trailing down her cheek. The fear of rejection mingled uncomfortably with the lingering excitement from the evening, sending Sam tumbling into a fitful night of sleep.


	3. The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben completes Sam's game and wants to tell her about it, but he needs to talk through his feelings for Sam with his friends before he has enough courage to do so.

Between shifts at his various delivery jobs over the next couple of weeks, Ben felt himself drawn to his apartment. More specifically, to his computer. The morning after his pizza dinner with Sam, he’d quickly found her game on Indigineer and promptly downloaded it. After the first few minutes, he was hopelessly hooked. The world was an interesting blend of original fantasy and classic fairy tales, with a twist on Red Riding Hood making an appearance early on. The dialog was witty and dynamic, and it seemed like the story itself had many possible branches. He made decisions that he thought were arbitrary, but ended up having an impact on later portions of the story. He also found the puzzles themselves pleasingly difficult and frequently paused to ponder on what the solution was in any given situation.

His swelling adoration for the game served to kindle a fire within him, stoking the flames of attraction he felt towards Sam. He quickly realized that she possessed a brilliant, creative mind with which he yearned to become more familiar. He also realized how driven and passionate she truly was about video game development with the astounding level of polish and precision she’d achieved with her first game. As he completed the last quest in the game and freed the ghostly princess from her earthly prison with a parting kiss, a single tear rolled down his cheek at the hauntingly sad conclusion. He swept the tear away and sniffled quietly to himself, then glanced at the digital clock on his computer as the sun began to slowly descend towards the horizon outside his window.

_Its only six, maybe she’ll be home so I can talk to her about the game_ , thought Ben, though he remained rooted in his chair. His anxiety over the clarity around his feelings for Sam left him feeling incredibly torn. He wanted desperately to confess how much he loved her game, how impressed he was with her for creating such a fulfilling game, but his thoughts drifted over to the reason why he was here, in this apartment. Thoughts of his terrifying father filled his mind, of the secret he shackled close to his heart of his abrupt estrangement and his true identity. He thought of how much Sam seemed to adore her father and realized she lacked that subtle, yet unmistakable mark of a person born of a broken home. The internal struggle proceeded to tear him apart, shredding his stomach and tightening his chest. In desperation, he reached for his phone sitting beside his keyboard and flicked away the lock screen. His eyes hovered over the last group text he had with Collin and Dean, the last snippets of which were a series of snarky comments between them as their conversation of Collin’s recent streaming success whittled down. He battled the urge to lock the screen and toss his phone to the side as he felt the alluring pull of his bed, where he could tumble into the throes of his despair beneath his silken sheets. He shoved the idea from his mind as he forced himself to type out a message to his closest friends.

“Hey, are you guys able to come over?” he sent, his hand trembling as his anxiety flitted through all the impossibly negative ways they could respond. He knew in his heart that his friends weren’t like that, that they were, in fact, incredibly supportive, but the demon that lurked in the corners of his mind enjoyed pointedly ignoring that fact.

“Definitely, I’ll be over in a bit,” sent Dean with a little fire emoji.

“Same,” sent Collin, sticking to his typically brief form of communication.

Ben smiled as he read the messages from his two friends and gently set his phone back on his desk. He strolled over to the kitchen and paced nervously as he waited for their arrival, contemplating how he would put into words the feelings roiling within him. A swift knock on his door moments later broke his concentration.

“Hey Ben, what’s up?” said Dean as Ben opened the door. Tendrils of smoke swirled lazily from the soles of his feet and the palm of his hands. Ben guessed that he had made use of his fire abilities to, quite literally, jet over soon after receiving his text. His jet-black hair was swept away from his face, miraculously fixed in place by a small amount of hair care products, even with his flight. His plain tank top revealed his bulky muscles and wide chest. Ben quickly dragged him into his apartment and peered up and down the hall nervously before slamming the door.

“Dude, I told you, I’m Marshall here,” hissed Ben as he followed Dean into his living room. Dean shot him a disapproving glance as he plopped down on the couch. Sighing, Ben rubbed the bridge of his nose roughly and pinched his eyes closed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you there,” he said dejectedly as he settled down on the other side of the couch. “I’m really on edge today.”

“Clearly, you normally don’t send us a text out of the blue asking us to come over,” said Dean as he glanced around the apartment. “This is a great place, by the way. Did you get this couch at Ikea? Its pretty comfy.” He grinned and wriggled against the couch cushion, emphasizing his comfort. Ben rolled his eyes and shot him a smile back, opening his mouth to speak, but was interrupted with a knock at the door.

“Collin probably,” Ben sighed as he pushed himself off the couch and strolled over to the front door and swung it inward, revealing an empty hallway.

“Bro, come on, I know you’re there,” said Ben flatly as he stared at the wall opposite his apartment in vexation. Collin chuckled behind him as he suddenly appeared and swept his pin-straight ashen hair from his face. His lanky, unassuming frame oddly fit his super power, as even without the invisibility he seemed to disappear into the space around him.

“Sorry, I can’t resist,” said Collin with mirth as he sauntered over to the couch and settled down beside Dean. “You know I don’t get to use my powers often, thanks to all the privacy laws, so I make use of them when I can.”

“I know, but this is important,” groaned Ben as he snapped his front door closed.

“What’s important?” asked Collin with a hint of interest as he slouched into the couch and slid his phone from his pocket, which Ben ignored. Even while playing mobile games, Collin was a perfect listener, as if multi-tasking sharpened his senses. It made sense if Ben thought about it. Collin was a successful streamer, which required focusing on both the game and the chat simultaneously and responding appropriately to both, so it wasn’t a surprise that he carried on like this in person as well.

“Yeah dude, you’re extra grouchy today, what’s up?” asked Dean, his eyebrows lifted slightly in concern.

“Its my neighbor, Sam,” said Ben as he dragged a seat from his kitchen island over to the living room and sat down, poised at the very edge of the chair with his feet dangling. “I met her a couple of weeks ago, and I thought she was pretty cute at the time. Hell, more than just pretty cute if I’m honest, but anyway, she ended up helping me move most of the boxes into my apartment the day I moved in.”

“Wait, she helped you move a bunch of boxes?” asked Dean. “I helped you pack, some of those boxes were heavy as shit.”

“Yeah that’s part of it, she used her telekinetic powers to move them,” said Ben. “I honestly didn’t know whether to be impressed or terrified for a minute, but she’s so nice that I ended up becoming more interested in her.”

“Hold on, I think I know where you’re going with this Ben,” said Dean, holding up a hand. “You’re falling for Sam, but after the shit you went through with Monica, you’re hesitating.”

“That’s one thing yeah,” said Ben dejectedly as he stared at his hands folded in his lap. “But even more than that is all this shit with my dad. I can’t drag another person into all that.”

“Ah,” said Dean, staring down at the floor.

“Give her a chance,” said Collin, still focused on his mobile game. “Parental estrangement isn’t something to be ashamed of. Some people have good parents and some don’t, she can’t fault you for something you can’t change. And if she does, well then it wasn’t meant to be anyways, but at least you gave it a try.”

Ben stared at Collin for a few minutes, absorbing his words.

“I really want to take your advice Collin, but it sounds like she loves her parents. I had dinner with her the evening after the boxes incident, and she told me about working for her dad and I just...I didn’t really know what to say or how to react. I doubt she would be able to understand or accept me with all this crap going on.”

“Bullshit,” said Collin as he set his phone to the side. “I think you’re looking for excuses because you’re afraid.” Ben narrowed his eyes at Collin, a mild rage building within him. He forced himself to calm and settle Collin’s words in his mind, separating them from the knee-jerk reaction.

Ben’s shoulders dropped slightly. “You’re right Collin, I am afraid. I’m afraid of fucking shit up again.”

“Its okay to be afraid of dating after what you went through,” said Dean gently. “But you’re never going to get over your fear until you give it a try.”

Ben glanced between Dean and Collin, a small smile spread across his face.

“Thanks guys, you’re both right,” he sighed. “I just need to try again.”

“And you should definitely try again by going to talk to her, today,” said Dean with a mischievous grin.

“Agreed,” said Collin as he pocketed his phone and pushed himself off the couch. Dean quickly followed and patted Ben in support on the shoulder as he crossed the living room and made his way for the front door.

“Thanks for having us over, your new place is sweet,” said Dean as he slipped on his shoes. Collin nodded in agreement as he reached for the front door handle.

“Thanks for coming by last minute guys,” said Ben brightly. “I feel much better after talking through it with you too.”

“Any time,” said Dean with a smile. “And good luck!” he called over his shoulder as he followed Collin out into the hallway beyond and shut the door behind him.

Ben ran nervous fingers through his raven hair as he paced the room for a few moments, calming himself and collecting his thoughts. After one, long breath, he spun to face the exit of his apartment, determination burning in his chest. He slipped into his shoes, wrenched the front door open, and rushed over to Sam’s door before his courage fled.

His knuckles connected with the door softly, and a moment later, Sam appeared, the scent of garlic and other spices wafting into the hallway as she pulled open the door.

“Oh Marshall, this is a surprise!” said Sam in shock. “What’s up?” She was wearing another set of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. Her hair was slightly disheveled and she seemed to emanate an air of tense exhaustion.

“Sorry, I should have messaged you before I knocked on your door,” he said, the feeling of guilt waging war against his dwindling courage.

“No, its fine,” said Sam as she leaned against her door frame. “So what did you need?”

“Oh...yeah!” exclaimed Ben as he suddenly caught hold of his scrambling thoughts. “I finished Ruminate!”

“Really? What did you think?” said Sam with glee, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Jumping slightly, she glanced behind her at what Ben guessed was the source of delicious smell snaking its way into the hallway. “Oh wait, why don’t you come in? I just made dinner, do you like tacos? I have enough to share.” She gazed up at Ben expectantly. He smiled in return and nodded.

“Sure, that sounds amazing,” said Ben as he stepped through the front door. The tantalizing smell of heavily seasoned beef filled his nostrils. “And smells amazing too.”

“Thanks,” mumbled Sam with a small smile. Her cheeks tinted as she snatched a second plate from her cupboard and slid it in front of a seat at her kitchen counter. Ben slid into the seat and gestured for Sam to grab her food first, to which she reluctantly agreed and slowly sat down at the chair beside him. After helping himself to a conservative portion, Ben returned to his place beside Sam and relished in the delicious dish she prepared.

“Sam, your cooking is fantastic,” sighed Ben happily as he patted his stomach.

“Its really nothing special,” said Sam quietly. “I usually just toss together whatever spices I’ve liked in the past and it turns out alright.”

“I still think its impressive,” said Ben pointedly as he turned to face her. “I can barely manage to make myself eggs in the morning, let alone an entire, home-cooked dinner.”

“What do you usually eat then?” asked Sam curiously.

“Honestly, I order out a lot, or eat something easy like ramen,” said Ben with embarrassment. “I didn’t really get a chance to learn growing up, and I guess I haven’t really put in the time now that I’m on my own either.”

“Everyone’s a bit different,” said Sam gently. She slid her hand closer to his right hand, which sat resting on the counter, but hesitated and quickly dropped her hand to her side when she realized how close they’d gotten. “If I’ve learned anything, its that life isn’t a race. You’ll get there eventually if you give it a try.” She flashed him a tender smile, her hands folded comfortably in her lap. Ben smiled back and nodded.

“You’re right,” he said as he felt his spirits lifting. As the fog of dejection lifted, he suddenly remembered why he came over in the first place. “Oh yeah, Sam! Your game! I wanted to tell you what I thought, now that I beat it.” With that, Ben launched into an animated retelling of his play through, complete with foiling the plans of the mischievous werewolves reenacting Little Red Riding Hood, then happily bringing them together with the witch attempting to rid her catnip garden of destructive kat-kin.

“And it was so cute how I ended up using those kat-kin to give that lonely bridge troll some friends,” said Ben as he squished his cheeks with his hands in delight. “It gave me so many warm fuzzies! I was also really excited that I ended up becoming a bard at the end, I felt so happy being able to tame the dragon instead of slaying it, and the ending where I gave the princess ghost a proper grave and she kissed me before moving on to the afterlife made me feel all the feels.” Ben could feel himself rambling, but he couldn’t stop the flood of raw excitement spilling out of him. He forced himself to stop for a moment and collect his thoughts.

“Overall, I loved the game,” he said finally as she looked on in wonder. “It was such a unique experience, even little things like how you save the game were completely new for me.”

“Thank you Marshall,” said Sam, blushing furiously as she twiddled her thumbs in her lap. “I’ve honestly never had someone give me such a thorough review of my game, I really appreciate it. I honestly appreciate that you even took the time to play my game all the way through.” Sam looked up at him, her expression glowing with joy. Her eyes were glossy and the hint of tears dotted the corners. She sniffled lightly and swept the moisture away with the back of her hand.

“Have you ever considered doing reviews on ViewTube? I think you’d be really great at it.”

“I admit, I have thought about it a couple of times, but I’m really nervous about putting myself out there.” Ben broke eye contact with Sam and stared down at his plate gloomily. Thoughts of his father happening upon word of him by chance shook him to the bone. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if his father found him, and even if he could imagine it, he wouldn’t dare. The few times his father erupted on him as a child left him scarred, and his escape eclipsed any of those instances by miles. He couldn’t suppress a shudder, which he was grateful Sam didn’t notice.

“I understand that,” said Sam as she stared at the flecks in her counter. “I struggle a lot interacting with people in person, but I somehow muster the confidence to do it virtually. I guess we’re two sides of the same coin, in a way.” She chuckled to herself sadly as she slid her fork around on her plate absentmindedly.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” said Ben. The ends of his mouth turned upward slightly in a sad smile. He felt torn between two raging seas as he battled the negative thoughts around his father, but also felt the emotional closeness between himself and Sam grow. They sat in silence for a few moments, Ben’s thoughts roiling in his mind. Through the fog, he remembered the brief conversation about Sam’s new game they had during their pizza night a few weeks ago.

“How’s Evermake going?” said Ben as he thankfully extracted the name of Sam’s new game from his fuzzy memory.

“I’m stuck right now,” sighed Sam heavily as she snatched her plate and Ben’s and headed over to the sink. She wiped the dishes clean quickly, lightly placed them in her dishwasher, and then proceeded to put away the small amount of food that remained.

“Is it something with the story? Maybe I can help walk you through it,” said Ben brightly, a long dormant portion of him stirring in the depths of his mind. It was true that he’d set aside his passion for video game design and art long ago, but he still felt the aching longing whenever he played a game or thought fondly of games he completed. Something about Sam’s passion seemed to rekindle his own, he realized with astonishment.

“No, sadly,” said Sam dejectedly as she washed her hands and rejoined Ben at the counter. “I can usually push myself through roadblocks with story or difficult programming issues, but this is about the art. The artist I collaborated with for Ruminate isn’t doing video game art anymore, and she was really my only resource. I can’t draw to save my life, all the sprites I have now are basically just stick figures as place holders. I’m getting to the point where I need more than that so I can fine-tune the code, but I really don’t know what to do.” Sam swept both hands through her mousy, short hair and bit her lower lip. A voice within Ben screamed to offer Sam his assistance, flashing image after image of his art ranging from character design to background scenes. He shoved the voice aside and locked it deep within his heart.

“I know one thing I can do,” said Ben. Apprehension caused his heart to race as he forced the words from his mouth. “Let's go for a day out tomorrow, wherever you want to go. I have the whole day free, and since its Sunday tomorrow I’m assuming you don’t have work either. Don’t feel obligated to accept, I just figured it might be nice to focus on something other than your game for a day.” Ben braced himself for rejection and pointedly avoided Sam’s gaze. His ears and cheeks burned with embarrassment. He was positive his face mirrored the bright red of one of the apples sitting in a bowl on Sam’s counter.

“That sounds...really nice Marshall,” squeaked Sam. “I’d love that actually.” Ben, astonished, whipped his head around and met Sam’s gaze. He noticed the flush of her cheeks as she smiled up at him, which he assumed mirrored the blush painting his own.

“Great, I’ll stop by around eleven, does that sound okay?” said Ben. His heart threatened to escape from his chest as he felt the overwhelming urge to flee to the comfort of his own apartment, where he could celebrate his surprising success.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Sam softly. Sam and Ben glanced at the clock on the microwave simultaneously, and Ben realized he might have overstayed his welcome. The clock informed them that it was almost nine. He was surprised to realize that their conversation had carried on for over two hours.

He pushed himself away from the counter and rushed over to slip on his shoes. “I should probably head back before it gets too late,” he said quickly. He forced himself to calm down slightly as he turned to face Sam, though his heart seemed unwilling to cooperate. “Thanks for dinner Sam, it was great.” He bashfully scratched his head, but retained eye contact as she smiled brightly.

“Thanks for giving me all the feedback on my game Marshall,” said Sam, her eyes shining with pride. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Ben nodded and waved as he slipped out the front door and gently closed it behind him. He bolted over to his apartment and quickly locked himself in. He held a trembling hand over his racing heart as he grinned broadly to himself.

“I did it,” he whispered. “I asked her out and she said yes!” He did a silent victory dance in his entryway, then kicked off his shoes and headed for his bed. His mind buzzed with anxious excitement as he imagined all the different ways the next day could go. He sighed and slid his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling as he shared the news with Dean and Collin.

\-------------------------------------------

“Is this...a date?” Sam questioned as she paced the length of her bedroom. She chewed nervously on her thumbnail as the events of the evening tumbled over and over in her mind. She thought of the way his cheeks tinted when he asked to spend the next day with her. She hoped that she was right, but her thoughts drifted to the stinging rejection. She had made an assumption about romantic feelings in the past and had paid the price dearly. That smarting memory, coupled with the fact that she had never really been on a date before sent her spiraling into a panic

She snatched her phone off her nightstand and sent a brief explanation of what just happened to Vikki and Angela.

“Girl that’s a date!!” sent Angela with a little confetti popping emoji.

“Definitely a date, congrats Sam,” sent Vikki with a smiling emoji.

“But he didn’t actually say it was a date,” sent Sam desperately as a seed of hope began to sprout in her chest.

“He blushed and asked you to spend a whole day with him, just him. If that’s not a date, I don’t know what is,” sent Angela.

“You’re right, I’m so nervous though!” sent Sam.

“Just be yourself, like that time he came over for pizza, and you’ll be fine. I’m so excited for you Sam!” sent Vikki.

“Yes, what Vikki said! Ahhhh, you need to tell us how it goes!!” sent Angela with a couple of heart emojis.

“Thank you both,” sent Sam with a smiley face.

Sam grinned down at her phone as she realized her friends were right, but that gnawing anxiety of rejection wouldn’t quite settle down either. Her joy and excitement raged war against the powerful force of her unease as she slipped on a pair of pajamas and flopped onto her bed. After almost an hour of tossing and turning, she tumbled into a stomach-churning nightmare where she was back in her failed confession, but the man she was confessing to was Marshall instead. She held back tears as he flatly turned her down and told her that he didn’t see her in that way.

Sam awoke suddenly, covered in a film of sweat with tears rolling down her cheeks. She stared at the ceiling and sucked in a few deep breaths desperately, hoping to calm the heart that threatened to leap from her chest. As she felt her heartbeat slow, she groaned and turned to face the digital clock on her nightstand. She discovered that it was still three in the morning and squeezed her eyes shut.

_Tomorrow’s important, you have to sleep_ , she admonished herself as she desperately fought to clear her mind. After over an hour and many exasperated attempts to rid her memory of her nightmare, Sam finally felt the warm embrace of sleep lull her into dreamless slumber. She happily realized she’d finally dozed off when she felt the warmth of the morning sun kiss her eyelids and gently rouse her. She blinked and yawned as she stretched and sat up slowly in bed, then glanced at the clock. It was nine-thirty. Shit, _it was already nine-thirty_. Sam panicked and leapt out of bed, tumbling towards her closet as she desperately clawed through her available outfits. She flicked open her smartphone to check the weather and noted it would be a cool fall day, with the highs just barely missing the sixties. She grabbed a newer pair of jeans and a shirt that her mother bought for her and insisted she looked gorgeous in and tossed them both on her bed. _I don’t have time to be picky, I just have to get ready quickly_ , she thought as she sprinted for the shower and quickly tumbled through her morning routine. She downed a cup of coffee and a breakfast of cereal after preparing them quickly, then glanced at the clock again and frantically realized it was already ten thirty.

Sam abandoned her bowl and coffee cup at the side of her sink and rushed to her bathroom. She found an old, barely-used tube of mascara and struggled to tint her upper lids. She succeeded in stabbing herself in the eye more than once before she was satisfied.

As she left the bathroom and made her way to the living room, she stopped and glanced at herself in the mirror. Though her pants hugged her hips perfectly and her purple t-shirt clung to the curves of her body comfortably, Sam felt awkward and glanced over at her closet. _Maybe I have time to change. Should I change? Yeah I think I should change, this is too much_. Her thoughts raced ahead of one another as she stared at her closet apprehensively, but her rumination was broken by the sound of a knock at her door. She frantically glanced at her clock, and noticed that it was indeed eleven.

_I guess I’m going like this_ , thought Sam apprehensively as she shakily approached the front door. She steeled herself, pleading for her racing heart to slow as she creaked open the door.


	4. A Day on the Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Ben have their first date, but the night doesn't end quite as either of them expected.

“Hey Sa…” Ben started his greeting, but halted as he took in the sight of Sam timidly standing in her doorway. Her t-shirt hugged her curves in all the right ways, causing his heart to skip a beat. Her eyelashes seemed a bit fuller as she batted them nervously his way.

“Hey, I was actually about to change and then we can go,” mumbled Sam as she nervously thumbed the edge of her door. She turned slightly, as if to make her way into her apartment. Without thinking, Ben gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

“No Sam, you look great, you don’t need to change,” said Ben, fumbling with his words  
as he struggled to calm his racing thoughts. She blushed in surprise at his touch, but didn’t shy away from him.

“A-alright,” said Sam timidly as she turned to face him. Even through the nerves, a warm smile ghosted across her lips as their eyes met.

“Do you like coffee? I was thinking we could start with a trip to a coffee shop I found nearby. I’ve only been there a handful of times, but they make amazing coffee.”

“Is it _The Daily Grind_ by chance?” asked Sam as she slipped out of her doorway and jostled her key into the lock.

“Yeah it is, do you go there often?” asked Ben. Excitement swelled in his chest at the prospect of sharing another interest with Sam.

“I do actually,” grinned Sam as she strolled down the hallway alongside Ben. “My college roommate Dee works there. I usually pick up my morning coffee there before heading to work.”

“That’s nice that she’s so close by, and you still get to see her frequently,” said Ben as they headed down the stairs to the ground floor. Their shoulders brushed as someone heading up the stairs crossed their path, forcing Ben to slip into line behind Sam. They wore matching blushes as they both attempted to pointedly ignore the accidental contact.

Their journey down the stairs and away from the apartment complex was clouded in an air of nervous, uncomfortable silence. Ben forced the lump in his throat down as he finally broke the tension between them.

“So what kind of coffee do you normally go for?” he asked as he shifted his keys around in his pockets absentmindedly.

“Honestly, I love just plain old coffee,” said Sam as she glanced at a black lab crossing their path, running happily beside its jogging owner. Ben’s heart leapt with joy as he watched the dog bound joyfully along the sidewalk and zoom past them.

“I wish I could drink coffee plain, it’d be easier to keep up with my figure,” said Ben, grinning happily as he emphatically patted his stomach. Sam covered her mouth with one hand and giggled. Ben couldn’t help but chuckle along with her, the mirth was contagious.

“But in all seriousness, I do love coffee with a little bit of something else in it, like a latte or mocha. Then you get the best of both worlds: some caffeine with a delicious treat.”

“That’s fair, I do get one of those every once in a while. Maybe I’ll decide to get one today, who knows.” Her eyes twinkled with joy as _The Daily Grind_ slowly appeared on the horizon. The spacious, two story coffee shop sat comfortably between a bookshop and a string of other restaurants. Hanging baskets of plants swayed slightly in the breeze. The delicate flowers streaming down from the lush plants danced in the eddies and waved as they pushed open the entrance.

The refreshing smell of flowers and fresh plants mingled delightfully with the strong, sharp scent of freshly-brewed coffee. Vines lush with full, green leaves twisted around the railing hugging the staircase that led to the second floor, which Ben could only guess featured the same level of floral adornment. He noticed a few small trees placed beside the counter that were curiously shaped. Their branches were long, thin and sagging under the weight of round, glistening red berries. He eyed them curiously, attempting to identify them without success, when a voice behind the counter answered his inquiry.

“They’re coffee trees,” chirped the owner of the voice, who turned out to be a cheerful woman with chocolate skin, her curly raven hair wrangled into a fluffy ponytail. She gave off an air of confidence as she slid in front of the register. Her eyes immediately brightened as they fell on Sam.

“Sam, how are you today?” she asked gleefully.

“Great Dee, we’re just here for some coffee,” said Sam, her expression relaxed as she met the gaze of the woman with whom she was clearly acquainted. Their conversation in the apartment hallway came flooding back, and Ben realized this must be Sam’s college roommate.

“This is Ben, by the way,” said Sam hastily, a blush tinting her cheeks.

“Oh, so this is the guy that moved in next door, right?” asked Dee as she shot Ben an approving grin. Her eyes glinted mischievously as she quickly glanced between the pair. “Nice to meet you Ben.”

“Nice to meet you as well Dee,” he said in response, flashing a small smile.

“How about I get you both some coffee?” she said, her fingers poised above the register.

“Sure, I’ll take a vanilla latte,” said Sam. She shot a glance at Ben and took the hint to follow up with his order.

“I’ll take a mocha,” he said, stepping up to the register with his credit card gently balanced between his thumb and pointer finger. Sam shoved her way to the register desperately, her own card in hand, but Dee grinned and swiped Ben’s card first.

“My treat,” said Ben as he suppressed the urge to laugh at Sam’s failed attempt to pay for her drink.

“Alright, but I’ll pick up the next tab,” grumbled Sam in defeat as she slipped her card back into her wallet.

“I can bring these out when they’re ready,” said Dee as she deftly worked the espresso machine before her. She nodded her head at the array of empty tables spread out across the shop before returning her focus to their drinks. Each table sported a small potted plant, ranging from cacti to succulents. Sam chose a table home to a hedgehog cactus, which Ben thought looked a bit like a spiny orange juicer.

“Ah, this one might need a bit of love,” said Dee as she appeared over Ben’s shoulder and slid them their beverages. She sighed as she waved each finger gently upwards, as if beckoning the cactus to grow legs and waltz her way. In astonishment, Ben watched the little cactus perk up and swell.

“Much better,” said Dee with a smile as she strolled among the remaining tables. She occasionally brushed her fingers gently along the stem of a wilting flower, which revitalized the plant instantly.

“She’s a plant manipulator,” said Sam in a low voice as Dee returned to the front counter and began wiping down the coffee machines.

“Really?” responded Ben incredulously. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone with that power before.”

“Yeah, according to her, its pretty rare,” said Sam as she tenderly sipped her coffee. “Greenhouses and industry farms tried to recruit her all through college, but she already knew that she wanted to have her own coffee shop. Those coffee trees next to the counter actually supply her with all the beans she uses.”

“That’s amazing,” Ben breathed as he imagined the amount of willpower and drive someone would need to pursue their dreams like Dee had.

“Yeah, she’s really inspiring,” said Sam happily. “If I’m in a rut with my games, I’ll usually come talk to her about it. She doesn’t play games, but she always gives me great advice even without knowing the context of my troubles.”

“She sounds like a really great friend,” said Ben. He felt himself tumbling into Sam’s mesmerizing gaze, her eyes slightly out of focus as she reminisced on conversations with Dee. She must have realized she was floating off in the tide of her own thoughts and started suddenly, her focus sharp as she met Ben’s curious gaze. She smiled and took a long sip of her latte, her mouth curling in satisfaction with each sip. Ben imitated her, savoring the bitter, yet creamy chocolate mocha. Movement at the edge of his vision caught his attention. He turned ever so slightly and was met with the wary stare of a bulky, blond employee. He hefted tables and chairs with ease so he could swipe his broom across the floor beneath them. He glanced at Sam, then back at Ben with scrutiny. His expression seemed a confusing mix of joy and suspicion.

“Link, can you go take care of cataloging in the storeroom?” asked Dee.

“Sure, I can do that now,” said the blond employee in a surprisingly jovial tone as he gently set down the table in his hand and replaced the broom against the nearby wall. He tossed one last glance Ben’s way before disappearing behind a door marked “Employees Only”.

“Who was that blond guy with super strength?” Ben asked Sam nervously.

“Link?” asked Sam as she watched the Employees Only door swing closed. “He’s an old friend of mine.” Sam fell silent for a moment as she studied her coffee cup. “He was at the hospital a lot during one of my more recent hospitalizations.” Ben’s face fell and concern swam in his eyes. His hand crossed the empty table between them and settled gently on the back of Sam’s. Understanding blended with kindness spread across her face as she registered his feelings without a word.

“I know you’re feeling a bit sorry for me, I get that a lot,” said Sam. “But I’m fine. I was born way earlier than I was supposed to be, so my lungs weren’t fully developed. The healers did what they could, but their powers are only able to repair what exists in a human body, not grow parts or organs, at least that’s how they’ve explained it to me. Having under-developed lungs leaves me much more susceptible to things like asthma or upper respiratory infections, and those types of things hit me a lot harder too, so the hospital was like a second home to me growing up.” Sam’s free hand crept unconsciously towards a barely-visible scar resting in the hollow of her neck, which Ben hadn’t quite noticed before. Sadness squeezed his chest when he realized it was a tracheotomy scar.

“As sad as it may seem, I actually treasure some of the time I spent in the hospital,” continued Sam as she gazed at the cactus in the middle of their table, her eyes glimmering with a sense of content nostalgia. “I made some really great friends there, and video games brought me through when times got tough. My time there inspired me to make games for other kids going through a similar situation, which is why I love game development so much, even when I run into roadblocks.” Her empty hand balled into a fist and her expression hardened. Ben tightened his grip on her other hand and gave her a comforting squeeze.

“Sam, you’re very inspirational,” said Ben, his eyes glistening with restrained tears. “I don’t think I could ever go through what you went through and come out on the other end with such a positive outlook.” Ben thought back to his tumultuous family relationships and how he chose to bury them deep inside instead of embrace what positivity he could glean from the adversity. He felt the stomach-turning feeling of shame grip him, which he forced away along with his negative thoughts. _We’re out for a fun, distracting day, not a feels trip_ Ben admonished himself as he cracked a small smile. She responded in kind, the hint of a blush creeping on the edge of her cheeks. He downed the last of his mocha and glanced at the door, then back at Sam, who had just finished off the last of her latte. He discretely checked the time on his phone and was surprised to find it was nearing two in the afternoon.

“Since we have a couple hours before dinner time, did you want to go take a walk in the park?” suggested Ben as he collected Sam’s empty coffee cup.

“Sure, that sounds great Marshall.” She stood and waved quickly to Dee as Ben led the pair towards the door, making sure to toss their coffee cups in the recycling as they left.

\---------------------------------------

Sam and Ben wound through the meandering trails of the park near their apartment complex, swapping the one long stretch of walkway with little shade for the hushed pathways twisting through the neighboring collection of trees. Light streamed through the whispering leaves overhead and the pair chatted about their favorite video games.

“You play World of Warquest?” asked Marshall as they approached a small fish pond. Koi wriggled at the bottom of the pool and lazily swam from one end to the other, looking desperately for scraps tossed by humans passing by.

“Yeah, I raid on Fridays,” said Sam cheerfully. “Do you play?”

“I do sometimes, but not as much as I used to,” he admitted. Sam blushed as she felt his hand brush against hers. _Was it an accident, or was he trying to hold my hand?_ she thought to herself in a panic. She had her answer as she felt his fingers curl around her own. She blushed furiously and felt her heart skip a beat, but she spread her fingers slightly, allowing Marshall to entwine his fingers in hers. Sam’s breath left her as she felt his fingertips brush gently against the back of her hand. Her thoughts tumbled violently in her head as she attempted to process what just happened. She saw Marshall peak at her expression, his face slightly concerned as he loosened his grip and attempted to slip his hand from her grasp.

“We don’t have to...uh...hold hands...if you don’t want to,” he stammered with reddened ears.

“No, its fine!” said Sam with determination as she squeezed his hand. He smiled and relaxed, replacing his hand to its previous tangle with her own.

“Sorry, I’ve just...never done this before?”

“Held hands, or gone on a date?” Marshall’s expression was purely curious. Sam met his gaze and searched his eyes for pity, but found none.  
“If I’m honest, both,” mumbled Sam as they stopped beneath an ancient oak tree. The wind whispered down the narrow gravel path upon which they stood. No one but them existed beneath the temperate canopy.

“The only chance I thought I had ended before it even began,” said Sam as she recalled her failed confession. “Is this what this is, a date?” She met his eyes, hope and apprehension waging war in her chest.

“Well, we are holding hands,” said Marshall as he drew closer. Sam instinctively took a step back as her doubts overtook her desire. She saw the smoulder burning in his eyes as he approached and felt an unfamiliar heat rise low in her stomach. He outstretched his free hand and rested it gently against her cheek. She leaned into his touch, which felt electric against her skin. The world around them melted away as she felt him step impossibly closer.

“Sam, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you ever since you helped me move those boxes into my apartment. As I’ve gotten to know you over the last few weeks, I’ve only found more ways that you amaze me. I was pumped when you accepted my invitation today, and I should have made my intentions clear to you. I’m sorry.” He met her gaze tenderly, and Sam’s apprehension melted away as she dove into those chocolate irises that matched her own. Without conscious thought, she felt herself leaning closer to Marshall as she gently laid her hand on his chest. He released her other hand and raised it to her other cheek. His cupped hands tilted her face upwards.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked with a murmur. Their parted lips were just inches from one another. Sam shuddered slightly with anticipation as she found herself closing the gap, answering his question with her lips meeting his. His kiss in return was passionate, yet gentle, and seemed to last for both an eternity and only a moment. Their lips parted and Sam felt herself yearning for more, but with the release from the euphoric kiss came clarity about their surroundings. An old couple snickered to one another and mumbled something about young love as they passed. Sam and Marshall wore matching blushes as their public display of affection dawned on them.

“Maybe we should head back to the entrance and look for a place to get some dinner,” suggested Marshall as he deftly slipped his hand in hers.

“Y-yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” said Sam, though the gymnastic feats her stomach was currently performing made it difficult to think about food. Or anything really. The passionate kiss engulfed her thoughts, and everything else was shoved to the side. She felt her blush grow deeper as she replayed it. So engrossed she was in the memory that she failed to hear Marshall’s suggestions for dinner. He brought her back to the present with a gentle squeeze of her hand.

“Sam, you okay?”

“Oh...uh yeah,” said Sam in the most unconvincing tone she’d ever achieved. Marshall either failed to notice, or realized why exactly she was so distracted and chose to ignore her blatant lie.

“I was wondering what you want for dinner. Anything in particular you’re in the mood for?”

“Not really,” said Sam as she struggled to wrangle her racing thoughts.

“How about Japanese food? I know this really great sushi place near here.”

“Perfect,” said Sam as she successfully managed to bury the recurring memory of their kiss and focus completely on their conversation. “I love sushi, and I haven’t had it in a while.” Marshall grinned and led her to the exit of the park and down a few blocks. They quickly found the sushi shop nestled in a line of restaurants sporting various cuisines, with everything from Chinese to Indian food with some American restaurants sprinkled in. The sun sank every closer to the horizon, painting the sky a fiery combination of oranges and pinks as Sam and Marshall shared their chosen sushi rolls.

“You should definitely come to raids on Fridays, if you’re free,” said Sam as she plucked another piece of California roll from a plate placed between them. “We’re always looking for more people, and I’m sure my guild mates would really love having you around.”

“I wouldn’t mind giving it a try,” said Marshall as he sipped at his miso soup. “I gotta warn you though, I suck. I’ve never really gone to a raid. Well, I went once, and we totally wiped almost immediately.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve been raiding so long now that we can carry you ‘till you get the hang of it. We can even do the easier raids while you get used to the mechanics.”

“Then count me in for Friday!”

Sam chuckled at his enthusiasm as she felt her affection towards him grow steadily. The memory of the kiss threatened to interrupt their conversation and derail her completely, but she sent it flying to the depths of her mind.

They finished their sushi rolls and Marshall paid, at his insistence.

“This is a date after all, that I asked you on. I’m paying,” he said firmly as the waiter disappeared with his credit card and the bill.

“Fine, but I’m getting the next one,” said Sam, her arms crossed in playful indignation.

“The next one?” Marshall nearly leapt out of his seat with joy. “You want to go on another date?”

“This was a great day Marshall, really I can’t thank you enough,” beamed Sam. Their sweet conversation was interrupted by the return of the waiter with Marshall’s card and a receipt to sign. Marshall quickly scribbled the tip and his signature on the piece of paper, and the two of them made their way out of the restaurant. Hands linked together, they both swayed with playful joy as they made their way back towards their apartment.

\-----------------------------------------

Sam’s door appeared before them without either realizing. Ben sighed as he realized his wonderful night with her was nearing a close. They turned to face one another, Sam’s back inches from her front door. He plucked a lock of her hair and twirled it between his fingers as he moved to close the distance between them. Sam displayed a surprising sense of urgency as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his mouth to hers. He twined his fingers in her hair as he felt her passion surge through their kiss. He felt her tongue swipe against his, tentatively at first. He responded in kind, and their tongues danced as their mouths moved against one another hungrily.

His body screamed for him to ask for more, but his memory of his painful break-up with Monica stopped him in his tracks. He steadily decreased the heat of their kiss and broke away from Sam.

“Goodnight Sam,” he murmured as he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll text you, okay?” He yearned to remain in this hallway for eternity, his hands clasped in Sam’s, but he knew he needed to take this slow.

“Yeah, goodnight Marshall,” she mumbled in response. Her eyes burned fiercely with a passion that nearly melted his resolve, but he held fast behind his crumbling defenses. He knew he had to flee before crumpling completely under that mesmerizing gaze. With difficulty, he turned on his heels and headed down the hall to his own front door. He swiped at his ear as he heard the obnoxious buzzing of a fly, but it disappeared suddenly as he unlocked his door and stepped inside his apartment. He felt suddenly weary, due in small part to his enormous dinner settled heavily in his stomach, but also the progression of his relationship with Sam. He felt apprehensive and joyous at the same time as he hurried through his nighttime routine and tumbled into bed. He lazily cursed the fly buzzing near his head as he drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

\---------------------------------

As Ben’s breathing steadied, signaling that he’d finally fallen asleep, the fly landed on the kitchen floor and suddenly bulged. Its body contorted and grew until suddenly the form of a man in his early twenties took its place. The man reached a hand in one of the larger pockets of his black combat pants and pulled out an extremely thin, round disk. He deftly slid it deep underneath Ben’s fridge and crouched down to double check his work. His messy blond hair brushed against the tile floor as he found the disk settled impossibly far beneath the fridge and smirked to himself.

The man suddenly contorted once more, and in his place, a small, black spider appeared. The spider crept across the kitchen floor, up one of the walls, slipped through the grate of an air return duct, and disappeared into the night as Ben slept peacefully in his room.


	5. Lights Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet the villains of this story, and Sam finds Ben in a deadly situation.

Dallas crept along the air duct, his spindly spider legs rustling against one another as his four pairs of eyes were fixed straight ahead, though their poor sight did little to inform him. He hoped his guess was correct, and that this return vent would eventually lead to the outdoors. After a few twists in the duct, following along with the general layout of Ben’s apartment, a sudden drop appeared. Dallas could taste the refreshing scent of the world beyond these walls and rushed down the aluminum cliff.

The duct leveled out sooner than expected and gave way to the rumbling sounds of cars zipping by on the street stories below him. A complicated grate, made to keep the vast majority of creatures outside, sat in Dallas’s path. He squinted his spider eyes for a moment as his human brain puzzled through his options. He inspected the grate thoroughly, looking for cracks in its defenses, and found a gap just large enough for a sugar ant to squeeze through. He brought up the mental image of a tiny ant and willed his body to morph into the plump, minuscule insect with six teeny legs.

Dallas deftly crawled around the tangled, jagged edges of grating that his previous spider body would have never been able to squeeze its way through, and was relieved when he felt a rush of wind toss his antennae wildly in the air. He glanced towards the sky and thought vividly of a peregrine falcon, his bird of choice due to its break-neck speed, and leapt off the side of the building.

His body twisted as the ant body disappeared. An explosion of features rippled across his avian body as his extra set of arms merged with his torso. His upper arms stretched impossibly long and sprouted thick flying features as his legs became powerful, sharp talons. As he plummeted towards the ground, his falcon body took full form. He swooped gracefully out of the dive and spread his wings wide as he willed the eddies of air current to carry him high above the city. Los Angeles shrank away as he nearly kissed the low-hanging clouds above, though his sharp sable eyes were able to bring even the furthest-off cars into focus as they ambled through the city.

He quickly spotted the landmark he was searching for, Union Station, and darted towards it. He hadn’t solidified the trip from Los Angeles to San Diego in his mind, and his powers didn’t afford him the navigational perks of an avian brain, so he opted to rely on the railway connecting the two cities. He quickly found the train he was searching for, as its destination glowed in digital lettering along the side. The words “San Diego” followed lazily behind a row of passenger cars ambling out of the station, and Dallas took his chance. He swooped a little closer to the train so that the metallic rails stood out against the darkened ground. Thin streaks of glistening steel charged southeast in a nearly straight line and cut their way cleanly through the bustling city. Glimpses of moonlight twinkled off the rails as the moon dipped in and out of existence between small clouds billowing silently across the night sky. Dallas propelled himself forward with the beat of his powerful wings, then spread them lazily as he coasted on the powerful currents coursing through the atmosphere. 

The original train shrank away behind him and eventually winked out of existence, but his speed made it easy to catch up with a train which had departed earlier that evening. The city slowly gave way to suburban sprawl littered with industrial parks as Dallas caught up to the earlier train. Cars slowly slid behind him as he outpaced the lumbering train rattling along on the tracks beneath him. His eyes caught a vibrant shimmer to his right as the land fell away suddenly and gave way to the vastness of the sea. The train followed along rocky cliffs, caught between a towering set of mountains and the tepid sea below, and he couldn’t help but stare in awe at the beauty of the moment. The feeling of euphoria died suddenly as he remembered his mission and realized how pissed his boss would be if he were late. His anger and fear broke the enchantment that natural beauty bestowed upon him. He made use of the peregrine falcon’s technique of climbing to dizzying heights and hurtling itself towards the earth to propel him impossibly faster into the night. The train beneath him zipped suddenly into the background as he zoomed along the coast, which Dallas hoped would lead him straight to his destination.

Sure enough, the twinkling of city lights winked into existence on the horizon, and he soon found himself deep in the heart of San Diego. His pectoral muscles ached longingly for a respite, which he ignored pointedly as he wound his way through the sprawl of high rises and twisting, narrow lanes. The bay glistened seductively in the moonlight to his right, calling out to his other animal personas, particularly the great white form he often assumed on his days off. He shrugged the instinct off as he spotted his destination.

An inky, sleek apartment high-rise coated in glass sat in a cluster of other similarly-towering buildings just beside the bay. Ships bobbed in the harbor below him as Dallas zipped past them and surged skyward, aiming for the dizzying balcony on the top floor. His talons kissed the rail as he landed, tinkling softly against the hard steel rods that penned in the cement slab. He hopped off the railing and onto the ground, then morphed back into his human form. His messy blond hair whipped in the high winds that were so often a staple of autumn nights in San Diego, which were only exacerbated by the close proximity to the sea. He confidently stepped towards the sliding glass door before him and pushed it aside soundlessly before placing a booted foot in the apartment beyond.

“Shoes,” grumbled a voice from one of the arm chairs beyond. A man in his early fifties scowled at his black lace boots as Dallas roughly tugged them off his feet and dropped them onto the rubber mat to his right.

“Much better,” said the middle-aged man with a smirk as he pushed himself to his feet and adjusted the cuff of his suit jacket. Flecks of gray mingled with his wiry raven locks, all of which were kept pinned into place perfectly with what Dallas could only guess were the finest, most expensive hair care products. His suit jacket matched his black slacks, both impeccably laundered and wrinkle-free. His dark gray button-up shirt beneath the jacket was accentuated flawlessly with a deep purple tie. Mr. Lawson always maintained his appearance like this, the definition of perfection. His lavish, black velvet slippers whispered across the thick white rug beneath him as he approached Dallas.

“Now tell me, were you successful?” asked Mr. Lawson, his cold stare meeting Dallas’s gaze expectantly.

“Of course,” said Dallas nonchalantly as he strolled over to one of the empty black leather couches nearby and plopped himself down on it. He stretched extravagantly and cradled the back of his head with his hands as he lounged, his expression smug.

“I found him on a date with some chick that turned out to be his neighbor. I tailed them all day and eventually snuck into his apartment once he got back. The dude didn’t even notice me, even when I buzzed right by his ear.” Dallas snickered, then continued. “I slid your tracker under his fridge after he fell asleep and got out through the air vents, so he’ll never know I was there. Now where’s my money?” Mr. Lawson held up his hand and waggled his pointer finger.

“Patience, you’ll be paid once Ben is retrieved,” promised Mr. Lawson. “Eva dear, will you be able to bring your brother home tomorrow? Try not to rough him up too much, but do what you have to.” He spoke matter-of-factly, as if he were asking Eva to pick up his laundry as opposed to kidnapping his son. Eva stepped into the light from the darkness of the kitchen and nodded solemnly.

“Whatever you need father,” she said in a grim tone. Her face clearly displayed a mixture of guilt and duty, for which Dallas felt an ounce of shame. He had willingly taken this job and had searched for weeks attempting to find Ben, who, according to his father, had mysteriously vanished one night without a trace. Dallas desperately needed the money, and he didn’t quite care whether the means in which he obtained it were legal or not, but he wasn’t able to puzzle out exactly how he felt knowing that he was about to inflict pain and suffering on another human being. He shoved the thought from his mind as he thought of the heft reward Mr. Lawson had promised for the tracking and return of his son, and of all the debts he could finally eliminate. _Its for Mom, I can finally give her back something,_ thought Dallas as memories of his mom flooded his memory. She stood silently, hunched over the kitchen counter, thick tears dripping from her eyes and splashing onto the towering stack of bills before her. He thought of his dad and how they lost him suddenly in a work accident, leaving his unemployed mother with a lofty mortgage along with all the other expenses of raising two young adult boys. The suffering of a man he barely knew shrank out of existence, overshadowed by the heavy weight of his self-inflicted responsibility.

\---------------------------------------

Ben awoke to the bustling sounds of a Monday morning commute as sunlight streaked through his curtains and beamed across his bed. He pushed himself up off the bed and shuffled off to the shower, a grin smacked across his face. His memories of the night before, the two passionate kisses he’d shared with Sam, kept replaying in his mind as he brushed his teeth and cranked his shower on. After a few moments, tantalizing steam billowed out of the top of his tiled shower. He opened the glass door and stepped into the relaxing stream of hot water, allowing the drops to soak his hair and cascade down his back as he felt the last hints of sleep wash away down the drain.

He massaged his shampoo into his scalp and relished in the cleanly feeling spreading across the roots of his hair as he thought about what he should do next. He didn’t want to rush things, but it left him wondering exactly what that meant. He desperately wanted more physical intimacy, but also didn’t want to royally mess up the good vibes he had with Sam currently. Sighing heavily, he rinsed the shampoo from his hair and swiftly lathered his body. As the last of the suds spiraled down the drain Ben twisted the shower off and stepped onto the bath mat just beyond the shower door.

“Maybe I should talk to Dean and Collin again,” he muttered, hoping beyond hope that his friends may have some better advice than what was currently coursing through his mind. He toweled off quickly and headed towards his room. His hair still dripped with moisture as he tossed on a slightly wrinkled t-shirt and an older pair of jeans. He was due at one of his flying delivery gigs in a couple of hours, which had no uniform requirement, so Ben chose to make use of some of his older clothes that he didn’t mind ruining if an accident happened. Last week, he transported a large collection of paint cans for an commercial construction site and was very glad he didn’t care about the state of his clothes when one of the paint cans worked itself open mid-flight.

He winced at the memory of stripping paint from his hair in his shower for over an hour as he poured himself a quick bowl of cereal and milk. As he crunched on his third mouthful of CocoPuffs, he heard a swift knock at the door. Curious as to who could be knocking on his door at ten on a work day, he placed his spoon back in his bowl and strolled over to his front door. Without peering through the peephole, he swung the door inward, which ended up being a huge mistake.

“Hey bro,” said Eva as she waltzed into his apartment and slammed the door shut behind her with a kick from her foot. Ben’s eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight of his sister standing in his entryway. His voice abandoned him and his thoughts blanked in panic as he stared at her incredulously. He oiled the cogs in his mind in desperation, trying to kickstart his halted brain.

“What...how...when,” sputtered Ben, unable to form coherent thought just yet.

“That doesn’t matter,” said Eva as she took a tentative step towards him, her fists loosely balled. “You need to come with me, dad’s expecting you. You can either come quietly, or I can knock you around a bit and force you to come with me. Your choice.” Ben backed up to his kitchen counter and fumbled his hands behind him, reaching for anything that would serve as a weapon. His fingers slipped around the legs of one of his kitchen counter stools. He grasped it desperately and hurled it towards Eva. She easily ducked to the side and sneered at him.

“Come on Ben, I really don’t want to beat the shit out of you,” said Eva as she danced into a fighting stance. Ben whipped the next stool in her direction, which she easily twirled around as it hurtled towards her. Her face dropped in agitation, sadness and anger pooled in her eyes. She charged forward and swung her fist in his direction, a perfected strike cultivated from years of combat training. Ben turned and intercepted the fist with his shoulder, which exploded in pain. He gasped and stumbled into the back of his couch. The cough legs groaned in protest as he suddenly threw his body weight against it. He had no time to react as Eva approached him again, unphased by the connection of her knuckles against his shoulder.

Ben barely dodged out of the way and landed on one of his glass end tables, shattering it instantly. An explosion of glass reverberated across his apartment walls as he felt the shards dig into his arm. Eva wasted no time in returning to a striking pose, this time winding up her right leg for a powerful kick. Ben, still dazed and smarting from his collision with the end table, barely had time to dodge out of the way of the caltrops of shattered glass beneath him as Eva’s kick slammed into his rib cage. Ben sputtered as his breath rushed out of him and collapsed on the ground, gulping desperately in an attempt to recover what oxygen he’d just lost. He barely managed to push himself onto his elbows, wheezing, when Eva’s foot appeared in his vision.

“Sorry Ben,” said Eva as she swiftly finished off the fight with a well-placed roundhouse kick to his head, sending him tumbling into the depths of unconsciousness.

\----------------------------------------

_I can’t believe I forgot to feed Bowser before I left for the day,_ Sam thought in frustration as she shuffled the contents of her purse around to find her keys. She glanced at the time on her phone and realized it was already ten, meaning she’d lost a whole hour of work already.

“Maybe I should just take a day off at this point,” she said to herself dejectedly as she unlocked her door and let herself in. She swore she saw a woman stomp down the hallway out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t think much of it as she shut and locked her door behind her. Her mind still whirled endlessly with the memories of the night before. Of the feeling of Ben’s lips against hers. Of the fiery passion imparted in their embrace. Her body ached for more, and she regretted not asking Ben to spend the night yesterday, the revelation of which she was shocked to discover. She’d just had her first kiss, and she was already thinking about going all the way with him. She blushed furiously at the thought and trampled it as she turned to Bowser, who was glaring daggers at her.

“Sorry boy, I know I forgot this morning. I’m getting it for you now,” said Sam as she dragged Bowser’s food bag out of the closet and scooped the dog food pebbles into his bowl. He huffed at her as he waltzed forward and dove his face into his food bowl. _Definitely a bit dramatic sometimes,_ Sam thought with a chuckled as she rolled the food bag closed and shoved it back into her closet.

She froze suddenly as she heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering from the apartment next door. From Marshall’s apartment. Her heart fluttered in a panic as she raced through increasingly grim possibilities for what that could have been. Any rational thought fled her mind as she threw her purse down on the floor, jumped into her flats and yanked her front door open. She dashed down the hallway and approached Marshall’s door. She pressed an ear against the steel outer shell of the door, but heard nothing within. Her thoughts immediately leapt to the worst case scenario, of Marshall lying in a pool of blood. She was mortified to find she was mostly right as she twisted the door handle and shoved open the unlocked door.

Glass, some coated with blood, littered the ground. A small pool of blood sat near the edge of the shattered remains of Marshall’s glass end table. Two of his kitchen counter stools lay on their side near the front door beneath two deep gashes in the drywall. The worst discovery of the scene itself was Marshall, hanging limply in the claws of a massive hawk flapping its wings heavily just outside his balcony. Blood dripped down his fingertips from his impossibly-crooked arm. The same woman she spotted walking down the hallway just a few minutes before sat perched on the hawk’s back.

“Dallas, get the fuck out of here now,” she hissed as the hawk beat its wings furiously, kicking up dust and debris as it propelled massive amounts of air downwards. The massive beast rose impossibly higher into the air, until they were merely a speck in the sky, racing away to the south east.

“Marshall!” Sam screamed in horror and desperation as the hawk disappeared from view. Tears tumbled down her cheeks as a scream tore from her lips unbidden. She sobbed, her shoulders trembling, as she was overwhelmed with the sudden loss of Marshall.

_SAM SNAP OUT OF IT, HE NEEDS YOU,_ her thoughts screamed at her, drowning out the despair. Her head snapped up as she stared into the sky, determination and the deep desire to protect this man she’d fallen for burning in her chest.

“I’ll save you Marshall, I swear,” she said as she wiped the tears away on the back of her sleeve and pushed herself to standing. Her legs trembled as she walked through Marshall’s ruined apartment and through his front door, but she forced herself to keep going as she made her way back to her apartment.

She quickly found her cellphone in her purse and stared at it for a few moments, thinking over which contact she could leverage for this. She ruled out Angela immediately, she was certainly passionate, but her tendency to tumble into a blind rage wouldn’t be helpful here. Vikki didn’t seem like the best choice for this either, but Sam made up her mind as she landed on one of her other contacts.

“Charles,” she stated to herself confidently as she typed out a short, yet urgent message.

“I need to meet you ASAP, there’s an emergency,” she shot off to him, then waited, her fist clenched tightly around her phone.


	6. Father Dearest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben's father has successfully captured him, spurring Sam into action. Ben and Eva have a heart-to-heart conversation about their broken family.

Ben groaned as a sharp ache in his head pulsed angrily across his skull and radiated throughout his bruised body. Silken sheets whispered across his skin as he stirred. His awareness snapped quickly into focus as he shot up to a sitting position, much to the chagrin of his battered frame. His heart sank as he took in the luxurious king-sized bed upon which he currently sat and the blending of dark, polished wood and pristine black leather that comprised the rest of the room’s furnishings.

“Dad,” he hissed through clenched teeth as he balled the sheets beside him in his fists. The pain teetered on the brink of unbearable as his injuries meshed with the white-hot anger coursing through him. He glanced to his right at the dark suede curtains covering the wall and hope began to sprout. _Maybe I can get out this way, find another place to live_ , he thought anxiously as he struggled against his screeching body and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He hobbled the short distance over to the curtains and tugged them aside. The welded steel and glass wall before him crushed what little hope had begun to take hold. His father had wisely chosen a room for him without access to the balcony beyond. Ben placed a hand against the glass forlornly, the feeling of the chilled glass beneath his palm almost soothing as his thoughts danced between hopes of escape and despair at being trapped forever more with the man he despised most in this world. A knock at the door followed by the slight creak of the hinges broke Ben from his tumultuous thoughts.

“I’m coming in Ben,” said Eva as she slipped through the doorway and gently shut the door behind her. Ben spun around to meet her, jaw clenched tightly as rage began to consume him.

“Why did you beat the shit out of me just to bring me here Eva?” he spat as he battled the urge to toss a fist in her general direction.

“I knew you wouldn’t come willingly,” she said with a shrug. “I also knew that if I gave you the chance to respond, you’d fly your way out of there just like you did when you escaped here the first time around. Father instructed me to come get you, and you know how he is. It was either I go willingly and bring you back my way, or he’d force me to do it using his power.” Eva seemed to shudder slightly at the thought, which instantly doused the flames of anger burning in Ben’s chest. He thought back to the fuzzy childhood memories, which were typically indiscernible save for the smattering of crystal-clear moments when his father took control. When his father’s powers to overtake one’s mind painfully dug their claws into his brain and roughly tossed aside his free will and chained it out of reach. Gooseflesh exploded across his arms as he remembered every instance he’d been forced to bow to his father’s wishes.

“Sorry Eva...I...tend to forget that stuff sometimes,” whispered Ben as he hugged himself for comfort. “I know I shouldn’t, but its like my mind wants desperately to forget everything that’s happened and move on.”

“I know the feeling, trust me,” said Eva as she took a timid step towards Ben, arms outstretched. Ben reluctantly accepted the embrace as Eva gingerly wrapped her arms around his midsection. Her voice dropped to a quiet whisper as she continued.

“I wish I could just get away from all this, from that monster we have to call dad, but I don’t know what he’d do if I weren’t here to try to reign him in a bit. What he’d do to you, or what he’d do to what remains of mom.”

Tears stung at the edge of Ben’s eyes as he recalled the last time he’d visited his mother. She sat swaying slightly in a comfortable room that felt overly safe. A room that locked from the outside, not within. A room that lacked mundane things like coat hangers, string, even the laces on her shoes were gone. Her eyes glazed over as she seemed to stare through Ben to a world of which he played no part.

She’d been taken to a home for those who suffered from severe cognitive disabilities when he was a young teenager. His father claimed to those outside their home that she suffered a terrible accident, robbing her of her mind forever, but Ben and Eva knew the truth. They knew that she’d slowly lost herself bit by bit as their father desperately tried to keep her under his control with his powers. What used to only rarely happen, maybe once a month if that, became a weekly, then daily occurrence. She’d try to assert herself in some fashion, try to gain what little freedom she could in the tattered marriage in which she found herself trapped, which would send their father into a terrifying rage. He would instantly commandeer their mother’s mind and force her to do his bidding. Each time the mind control broke, she seemed to lose a piece of herself, until there was suddenly nothing left of her at all.

“I’m so sorry I left you all alone to deal with this Eva,” whispered Ben through his sniffles as gently tightened his hold on her. “It was really selfish of me, and I didn’t really stop to think of what it would mean for you.”

“Ben, its okay. I knew you needed to get out of here, and I’m just sorry I had to bring you back. I don’t want what happened to mom to happen to anyone else, especially you.” Ben felt the front of his shirt dampen with Eva’s silent tears. “I could tell you were both starting to lose patience with each other, and it would only be a matter of time until he started using his powers on you too. I just wish he could let you go and live your life, but he’s too paranoid about what we both know.”

Ben grimaced as he recalled his father’s numerous rants about the way superhuman society ran. He remembered pointedly avoiding his father’s gaze as he listened to charges that the laws for those that possessed mind control abilities were both cruel and incredibly unfair. His father convinced himself that he had no choice but to skirt the law in order to make a living. That’s where it started, just a simple nudge to get a defendant to divulge their guilt, or a shove for the prosecuting attorney to suddenly lose a critical piece of evidence on only the toughest of cases. As his law firm grew, so too did his hunger for more power.

“I can’t stay here Eva,” said Ben as he pulled away from her. “You know that just as well as I do. I…need to get back to my apartment as soon as possible.” His thoughts wandered back to Sam. He wondered desperately how she was, and if she knew anything had happened to him.

“Its the girl, right?” said Eva. Ben’s eyebrows threatened to escape his forehead as he stared at Eva with wide-eyed panic.

“How did you?” he squeaked.

“She saw us leave. Just as Dallas was taking off, she showed up at your front door and freaked out. I heard her scream Marshall as we left.”

“Shit,” said Ben as dread pooled in the pit of his stomach. Sam had seen him, unconscious and bloody, spirited off from a torn-up apartment. What was she going through? He couldn’t help but feel guilty for getting her involved in all of this, though his heart ached when he thought of distancing himself from her at this point.

“You really like her, don’t you?” said Eva as she absorbed Ben’s pained expression. He nodded once, his emotions a confusing jumble of guilt and adoration. Eva licked her lips anxiously as her gaze darted around the room. She stepped closer to Ben and lowered her voice to a soft whisper.

“I’ll try to get back to your apartment and let her know what’s really going on. Father won’t really care much about me now that he has you here, which should let me slip away without much trouble. I’ll get you out of here as quickly as I can.” Eva wrapped Ben in as tight of a hug as she dared with his bruised torso. “And I’m sorry for kicking the shit out of you, but I knew you wouldn’t come back without a fight.”

“Yeah I know, I don’t blame you. And thanks Eva.” He squeezed her tight in a warm embrace as a timid smile crept along the crease of his lips.

“I promise I’ll be back as soon as possible,” she said as she released her hold on Ben and quietly made her way towards the door. He nodded in her direction as she left. The door quietly latched behind her, leaving him to drown in the soul-crushing silence of the emotionless guest bedroom.

\--------------------------------------

Sam’s hands trembled as the city bus rumbled to a stop before her father’s office building. The scene she found in Marshall’s apartment flashed before her eyes in crystal clarity. The cascade of shattered glass and drops of blood. Marshall’s limp body dangling sickeningly from the claws of the massive hawk. The woman with a curiously pained expression sat atop the bird of prey, staring down at her as if she was trying to apologize for what she’d clearly caused. Sam brushed the memory aside as she hurried towards the front of the bus and shot the driver a quick word of thanks before tumbling out the front door in a daze.

The office was relatively quiet as most people had taken off to snag lunch at their usual dining spots. Lucy lazily waved at her from behind her reception desk as she polished off the last of her sandwich.

“Hey Sam, how’s Bowser? I hope he wasn’t too mad about his missing breakfast.” She smirked, then shot a glance at the trash bin beside her desk. The remains of her lunch neatly crumpled into a small ball and floated gracefully to the center of the bin. A steaming cup of coffee zipped through the hall behind Sam and skidded to a halt on Lucy’s desk, the steaming liquid contents just barely remaining in the confines of the cup as they sloshed with the sudden change of inertia.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, he’s fine,” said Sam half-heartedly as she glanced around the office. “Do you happen to know where Charles is?”

“He’s in his office,” said Lucy, taking in Sam’s dejected expression. “Sam, are you okay? Did something happen when you went to feed Bowser?”

“I’m...fine,” said Sam, reluctant to divulge what was actually gnawing at her. Telling Lucy what happened would only lead to questions about Marshall and why Sam was so upset, and she really only made up her mind to spill the beans to Charles out of sheer desperation.

“I’ll see you later Lucy,” she said as she turned her focus to the hallway in which Charles’s office resided. Lucy huffed, clearly frustrated that she was being left out of something juicy, but waved goodbye to Sam regardless. Sam’s shoulders trembled with every step as she slowly rounded the hallway and neared the proximity of Charles’s office. They’d gotten along splendidly these last few weeks as Sam progressively started to stand up for herself and was rewarded with more challenging work, but she was still a bit leery of the blond-haired Welshman. He oscillated confusingly between kindness and a deep, bone-chilling coldness that threw Sam off-guard. She hoped desperately that today was one of his better days, as she couldn’t think of anyone as level-headed as him to help her with her plight.

After what felt like an eternity, the door labelled “Charles Jones” stood before her. Her hand froze nervously just before the slab of wood, poised to knock but hesitant to do so. She studied the grain as a nervous heat ignited within her. Wincing, she swung her hand and lightly tapped against the door thrice, then waited. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing the lean, admittedly handsome frame of her boss.

“Come in Sam,” he said with a small smile as he glided to the side to allow her entrance. She nodded slightly and swept through the doorway, hands clenched nervously before her. He gestured to one of the empty, plush seats before his desk.

“Now please, tell me what’s so urgent that you sent me such a short, alarming text with no further explanation.” Charles strolled across the room and leaned against his desk nonchalantly, staring down at Sam with a concerned expression with his arms crossed against his chest. Sam flinched as she realized the error she had made in her haste.

“Sorry Charles, I should have explained a bit more,” said Sam dejectedly. She clenched her hands, then remembered Marshall’s tattered apartment. The jarring scene served to shake off her feelings of guilt, and she stared up at Charles with confidence. “My neighbor, Marshall Law, was kidnapped just hours ago. I heard crashing sounds next door when I was feeding Bowser and rushed over to see what happened. When I got to his apartment, everything was a mess, th-there was b-b-blood everywhere.” Sam’s chest heaved as she suppressed the sob which threatened to burst from her lips. Charles uncrossed his arms and reached a comforting hand towards her, allowing it to rest gently on Sam’s shoulder. She felt the tingling of her emotions settling as Charles’s emotion manipulation powers worked to soothe her frazzled nerves.

“Thanks Charles, I needed that,” said Sam as she re-centered herself.

“Of course Samara,” said Charles with a warm smile. “Was there anything more to your story? You said he was kidnapped.”

“Yeah, when I got to the apartment, I saw this massive hawk holding Marshall in its talons. He looked...unconscious. There was a woman sitting on the hawk’s back. I actually...saw her pass by my door right when I got home, but I really didn’t think anything of it. I wish I would have stopped her and…” Sam’s face fell as she lost her train of thought. She wasn’t really sure what she would have done, had she stopped the mystery woman, but she wished desperately there would have been some way for her to help.

“Samara, stop,” commanded Charles gently. “There’s nothing you could have done in that moment. There’s no way you could have known what that woman was about to do. Do you remember what she looked like?”

“Yeah, she had short black hair, brown eyes, dark red lipstick. I think she was wearing black leather pants and a black, long-sleeve shirt, but I can’t really remember that clearly. She seemed like she was around my height as well.”

“Interesting,” said Charles, seeming to be lost in thought. “And you said your neighbor’s name is Marshall Law?”

“Yeah,” said Sam as she studied Charles’s face with curiosity.

“I wonder,” he said as he slid his phone from his pocket and swiped through the menus. “By chance, was it this woman that you saw?” He rotated his phone to reveal a photograph that exactly matched the woman Sam saw just a couple hours before.

“Oh my god Charles, that’s her!” exclaimed Sam. “How do you know her?”

“She’s an old...acquaintance of mine,” Charles admitted with a slight quirk of his eyebrows at the word _acquaintance_. “But more importantly, I don’t think your neighbor’s name is really Marshall Law, if she’s the one you saw spiriting him away. Her name’s Eva Lawson, and I would bet that your neighbor’s real name is Ben Lawson.” Sam felt as if her heart was being squeezed from her chest as the sudden realization slammed into her.

“Wait...Ben?” she whispered.

“Yes, Ben is Eva’s brother, and from what I know of their father, it would make sense for events to turn out this way.”

“But why would he…” Sam’s words abandoned her as she dove into a well of despair. Marshall wasn’t actually Marshall, but Ben. He’d been hiding his true identity from her. She thought they were growing closer over these last few weeks, but she’d been a fool. She knew nothing at all about who Marshall really was. Tears leaked down her cheeks as her turmoil broke the surface, threatening to swallow her completely. Charles studied Sam intently with a look of overwhelming concern.

“Samara, what’s wrong?” said Charles as he replaced the hand on her shoulder, sending a flood of calming energy rushing across her body.

“I...left something out of my story,” said Sam as she felt the tidal wave of despair retreat. “Marshall, or rather Ben and I, we’ve had a bit of a _thing_ between us these last couple of weeks. I guess you’d say we’re dating, but its nothing really official, we’ve only gone on one date.” The name _Ben_ felt foreign on Sam’s tongue, but for some reason, it clicked with what she knew of Marshall without her really understanding why.

“Ah,” muttered Charles. His face seemed to fall slightly for just a moment, almost as if he were disappointed. “Well then, I’m guessing you’re here to ask for my help in saving Ben.”

“Yeah, I am,” said Sam with determination. Her nervousness was successfully banished after divulging the full details of the situation to Charles, leaving her with a burning drive to rescue the man she’d desperately fallen for over the past couple of weeks.

“Now you said you know something about their father, and that you’re not surprised something like this happened. Care to explain?”

“I don’t know much, just what Eva’s danced around a handful of times along with our brief encounters with Mr. Lawson during a lawsuit in the past. He’s a ruthless lawyer and owns one of the most successful law firms in the state. I’ve only heard about this from your father, but the man seems to have an _uncanny_ ability to win cases. He cost your father’s business over a million dollars due to a lawsuit that your father swears was fraudulent, and from what I’ve seen of the case files, I have to agree. I don’t have much insight into their family matters, Eva wouldn’t delve deeper into her home life beyond off-handed grumblings about her father’s need for absolute control of the situation or brief mentions of her brother Ben, but I would imagine its not good. Especially considering that Ben felt the need to hide his identity from everyone, including you.”

Sam drank in Charles’s words and allowed them to settle in the calamity of her mind. His level-headed reasoning around why it was that Ben hid his identity served to diminish her self-doubt and melancholy around the whole situation. She filed away her need to discuss this with Ben in a place within her mind she would access later, after she’d hopefully saved her goofy, shaggy-haired neighbor.

“Thanks Charles, I feel a lot better now,” she said as a warm smile spread across her face. “Now we just need to save him.”

“I do have an idea I’d like to try,” said Charles as he stared down at Sam expectantly. “How much have you tried your telepathic link at a distance?”

“Just a bit, I’ve done it with my mom a few times when I’m at my apartment and she’s at their house.”

“Well then, lets put it to the ultimate test then. Mr. Lawson has a couple different penthouses around California, so we can’t be sure exactly where Ben’s being held. However, if you can establish a link with him, we can hopefully narrow it down to one or two options depending on how aware of his surroundings Ben is.” Sam narrowed her eyes in with resolve and nodded.

“I’ll give it my best try,” said Sam as she closed her eyes and allowed her consciousness to sync with her telepathic powers. She focused all of her thoughts on Ben and the connection they shared, willing herself desperately to reach him. She felt a solid tendril of psychic energy zip away to the south east, then jumped as she felt her mind brush softly against the energy she’d come to know so well as Ben’s. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pushed herself to the mental limit in establishing a shaky connection.

“Ben!” she shouted through the trembling telepathic connection.

“Sam?” answered the voice of Ben incredulously. He sounded as if he were speaking through a roiling sea, with his words cutting in and out. “Wait, how do you know my name?”

“Later, I need to be fast,” thought Sam frantically as she desperately grasped at the telepathic connection as it attempted to slip through her fingers like sand. “Where are you?”

“I think I’m at my dad’s San Diego loft,” thought Ben. “Sam how are…”

“Ben, there’s no more time,” thought Sam with a booming voice, halting his stream of thoughts. “We’re coming to get you, hold on.” She heard the whisper of his thoughts, though she couldn’t make out the words as the connection abruptly severed. She reeled back in her chair, clutching her temples as beads of sweat dripped down the sides of her face. Her head throbbed with pain as the overexertion hit her.

“Sam, are you alright?” asked Charles as he took a step towards her. Sam waved him away and nodded slightly.

“I’m fine. He’s in San Diego.” said Sam as she pushed herself unsteadily to a standing position.

“Did he say where exactly?” Charles asked as he slid his phone from his pocket and took note.

“Just his father’s loft, we didn’t have time for much more than that,” said Sam as the pain subsided. “I don’t suppose you know where that is.”

“No, but I can try some connections to see if I can get the address,” said Charles as he stared thoughtfully at his phone. “How about this, I’ll wrap up the day of work here. You take the day off and see if you can amass some support for our rescue effort and we’ll meet in a few hours to formulate a plan.”

“Sure,” said Sam as the thought of her friends sprang into her mind. “Lets just plan on meeting at my place, it’ll make things a bit easier.”

“Sounds good,” said Charles as he locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket. “And Samara, be careful. If you saw Eva at the scene of the crime, you may be a target to ensure there’s no loose ends that could implicate Mr. Lawson in any way.”

“I will, thanks Charles,” said Sam as she headed for the door with a wave. “I’ll see you later.” Charles failed to respond as Sam closed the door behind her as he stared intently out his office window, clearly puzzling through what their next steps would be.

Sam snatched her phone from her pocket and formulated a message to Angela and Vikki that briefly summarized the events of the last couple of hours, ending with a plea for assistance.

“Of course girl, I’m ready to kick some ass!” said Angela. “I’ll be over as soon as my shift’s done.” A collection of angry and fist emojis accompanied her response.

“I’m in,” sent Vikki with a thumbs up emoji. Joy swelled in Sam’s chest as the city bus rumbled to a stop near her apartment complex. Her mind whirled with potential strategies and outcomes as she climbed the stairs to her floor. She failed to notice the pair of men standing wide-eyed outside Ben’s door as she dug her keys from her pocket, and only realized when they started running in her direction. She threw up her hands to protect herself as she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact, but none came.

“Sorry to scare you like that,” said one of them apologetically as he raised his hands in an attempt to show he meant no harm. “I’m Dean, and this is Collin. We stopped by because Be...Marshall wasn’t answering our messages.” A pained expression spread across his face as he searched Sam’s, leading her to believe they were truly Ben’s friends. “I’m guessing you’re Sam. Do you know what happened?”

Sam nodded slightly and cleared her throat, which she realized had unconsciously tightened in fear. “Yeah, I saw just as he was carried away by his sister. Here,” she said, turning back to her door and shoving it open. “Why don’t you two come inside and I’ll catch you up on what’s happened. I think I’ll need your help.” Dean and Collin nodded and followed Sam inside. After rattling off the facts of the situation she knew, many of which Dean reacted to with animated horror and anger while Colin maintained a pensive expression. The two quickly agreed to join Sam’s rescue squad, leaving the three of them to wait in anxious silence for the rest of their haphazardly assembled group.

\-----------------------------------

Ben stared out his bedroom window, studying the brilliant display of pink and orange tinted clouds as they lazily crept across the sky over the turbulent seas below. The wind whipped the salt water into frothing waves that crashed through the harbor. He touched the glass of the window forlornly, missing the connection between himself and Sam after it ended so abruptly. He thought of her final words, and how she promised she would come save him. He felt torn in two by that statement; thrilled that Sam felt strongly enough about him that she would come rescue him, but also guilty that he couldn’t rescue himself. He watched the sea tumble about for a few more moments as he fought within himself about what his next move should be, when finally he landed on the option that seemed the best, even if it knotted his stomach in anxious twists. He needed to speak with his father, now.

Sucking in a breath of air to muster what courage he could, Ben spun on his heels and shakily made his way over to the bedroom door. He tugged it open and cautiously stepped into the small hallway beyond. His bare feet squished slightly into the plush rug that ran the length of the corridor as he crept towards the living room, where he knew his father must be. Sure enough, as he rounded a corner, he found his father lounging on one of the stiff leather couches, a glass of whiskey gripped lazily in his outstretched hand. Ben cleared his throat to announce his presence.

“I was wondering when you’d come to see me,” said Mr. Lawson as he brought the whiskey glass to his lips. The ice within clinked softly against the glass.

“Dad, why am I here?” asked Ben as anger sparked within him.

“You know you aren’t allowed to leave without my express permission,” said Mr. Lawson matter-of-factly as he set his whiskey glass on the coffee table before him. “You have knowledge that could devastate this entire family if you told the wrong person, and I can’t risk that.”

“I could devastate this family?” asked Ben, his voice rising. “Like it hasn’t already been torn apart by your need for power. Mom’s in a mental ward because you couldn’t bear to let her be her own person. You were doing the same to me before I left, and for what? So you can keep all your money and your god damn law firm that you never should have gotten in the first place. You should have registered your power correctly, but instead you chose to lie and cheat your way into money that’s left us all miserable.”

“You dare insult me, after everything I’ve done for you?” said Mr. Lawson, his eyes wide with anger as he took a step towards Ben. “You know damn well that I couldn’t be nearly as successful if my true power were registered, with all the fucking restrictions around those with mind control abilities in recent years. I did what I had to do to achieve my dream, I don’t regret that in the slightest, nor will I abandon everything I built to satisfy my ungrateful son’s sense of justice.” Ben clenched his teeth in rage as he stared down the man that he called his father, but failed to act the part.

“I don’t give a shit what you think, you’re wrong here,” said Ben, his fists balled. “I can’t let you keep doing this, keep cheating the system and fucking over people in the process while you force Eva and I to live in a gilded cage just to keep your shitty secret.”

“I don’t want to do this, but I don’t have a choice,” said Mr. Lawson as he hyper-focused on Ben’s face. Ben felt the intrusive, painful tendrils of mind control worm their way into his thoughts and roughly take hold of him completely. The last image that registered in his mind was the smug smirk of his father before Ben was violently tossed into the inky, turbulent darkness of the familiar prison in the corner of his mind.


	7. Game Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam gathers a group of people at her apartment to try to figure out how they can save Ben. As they're walking through what they already know, a surprise visitor appears at Sam's door and succeeds in turning the tables for the hopeful rescuers.

Sam exhaled sharply as a rough knock sounded twice against her front door. Angela and Vikki were here at last. Sam dashed to the entryway and yanked the door open, revealing her two best friends, Charles and, surprisingly, Link.

“I let Link know what’s up and he insisted on helping,” explained Angela as she kicked off her shoes and slid them to the side of the hallway.

“Good thinking Angela,” said Sam with a nod of approval. She flashed a small smile at Link, who immediately engulfed her in a supportive hug.

“I’ll help you get him back Sam,” said Link as he slipped his arms back to his sides and created a bit of comfortable space between himself and Sam. “This is the guy you went to the coffee shop with, right?” Sam nodded bashfully, thinking back to the last day she spent with Ben. She broke free of eye contact with Link and scanned the room, taking in the collection of people milling about her apartment in nervous anticipation.

“I think we’ve got everyone here, so let’s get started,” said Sam, wringing her hands nervously as the multiple sets of eyes stared back at her. She felt a spike of anxiety rise in her gut, screaming at her to shirk from the watchful stares, but she shoved the feeling aside as she reminded herself why they were all there.

“I’ll start with what I know, and then we can figure out what exactly we’re going to do,” Sam began as she slowly padded over to her desk chair and swiveled it in an attempt to form a haphazard circle with her sofa. A collection of shuffles and small movements flurried as everyone quickly settled into a seat, then looked to Sam expectantly.

“Around ten or so, I heard some crashing coming from Ben’s apartment.” Angela and Vikki reacted slightly at hearing Sam call him Ben as opposed to Marshall, sending her questioning glances, but remained silent. “I ran over there, thinking maybe he fell or something, but I found his front door wide open and a bunch of glass and blood everywhere. A woman was sitting on this massive hawk just outside of his apartment windows, and Ben was.” Sam paused, shuddering as she recalled the limp form of Ben in the claws of the hawk. “Ben was being held in the hawk’s claws. He was definitely unconscious, and there was some blood coming from a wound on his head, from the looks of it. The hawk took off before I could try to get him back.” Sam clenched her fists and cast her eyes to the ground, reliving the helplessness she felt in that moment. 

After a pause of tense silence, she raised her head and met Charles’s gaze. “I ended up asking Charles for some help, and maybe some ideas, which is how I was able to briefly make telepathic contact with Ben. He’s alive, but he’s being held somewhere in San Diego. We don’t know exactly where, so that will probably be our first step.”

“I can help with that,” said a voice from the entryway as the front door creaked open, revealing Eva standing in the doorway with a grim expression. Sam leapt to her feet and faced Eva, fiery rage burning in her gut as she levitated one of the bar stools at her kitchen counter. Charles mirrored Sam’s furious expression as he shot to his feet and stormed towards Eva. A collection of confused and slightly frightened glances from the rest of the group darted between Eva and Sam.

“I’m the one who took Ben, and I’m also here to help,” said Eva, her tone serious and unwavering.

“Tell me a reason why I should believe you after what you did to him,” snarled Sam, the barstool slowly inching across the room.

“Because I want Ben freed just as much as you do,” Eva sighed. She kept an eye on the floating barstool, but maintained a blank expression. “I did what I had to to get him back without hurting him too much.”

“Well you clearly failed at that, he was bleeding all over the place,” snapped Sam.

“It was either that or let him escape, and my father would have been furious at the latter option.” Eva shuddered slightly, but continued. “One thing you have to understand about my father is that he always gets what he wants. If someone doesn’t obey a request, he takes it by force. If I didn’t subdue Ben and he managed to escape, my father would have just taken control of my mind and forced me to pursue him. My father is not a gentle man, and I doubt he would have kept his rage in check once he found Ben if that were the case.”

“She’s not lying, Sam,” said Charles. Sam nodded, knowing he was making use of his emotional powers to evaluate Eva’s statements.

Sam slowly allowed the barstool to drift back to the ground and lightly kiss the hardwood flooring. She warily gazed at Eva, weighing her options to see if there was any way she could avoid working with her, but could think of no other way to find Ben’s location.

“So then why do you want to free Ben now that you’ve done your job?” asked Sam.

“Because he’s my little brother, and because I’m done watching my father continue to ruin every member of my family,” said Eva, her voice breaking slightly. “Ben’s a wonderful person, and he doesn’t deserve to have his mind torn to shreds by my father. Frankly, I’d rather put my father in a place where he can’t ever do this to anyone again.”

“So your father does have mind control powers then?” shot Charles.

“Yes, and he’s been lying to the government for decades about it,” said Eva. “Its a miracle he was able to manipulate everyone he needed to in the early days to avoid persecution. Now he just throws money around and gets away with it, and snuffs out anyone that’s immune to the charms of wealth. I guess he’s kept myself and Ben relatively unharmed out of some small amount of fatherly love that still lingers inside him, though we know the secret. I’m afraid he’s reached the end of patience with Ben after his latest escape, which is why I’m going to help you get him out.” Eva took a tentative step into the entryway with a questioning gaze leveled at Sam. Sam hesitated for a moment, reluctant to accept Eva’s assistance, but eventually nodded.

“You’re correct that he’s in San Diego, its at this specific location,” said Eva as she slid her phone from her jacket pocket and quickly typed a short message. A few moments later, Charles’s phone chimed. He blushed slightly and ignored the questioning glances from the rest of the room, which had been stunned to silence from the flurry of revelations. He nodded as he flicked open his lock screen and glanced at the address shining from his phone screen, then tucked his phone back in his pocket.

“Okay hold on, are we really just letting her join us?” asked Angela, her voice beginning to rise in anger. “She’s the one that caused this whole goddamn mess.” Her skin began to turn a violent shade of red as her muscles bulged slightly.

“And I’m the one who’s also going to help fix it,” Eva shot back fiercely. “I already explained myself to everyone, you can either take my help or not.” Angela’s piercing glare seemed to drill a hole through Eva as her chest heaved violently. Smoke billowed from her mouth as her eyes began to shift to deeper shades of red.

“I think we should let her help us Angela, Sam’s already made her choice and the best thing we can do to support her right now is to help in any way we can, not fight among each other,” said Vikki as she placed her hand gently on Angela’s shoulder and serenely smiled in her direction. Angela huffed, but her breathing settled as the reddish tints drained out of her skin.

“Sorry,” spat Angela as she crossed her arms and glared in Eva’s general direction. “Vikki’s right, but that doesn’t mean I trust you.”

“No offense taken, I wouldn’t trust me either in this situation,” said Eva as she took a seat near Sam. Charles cleared his throat and rose to his feet, causing every head to swivel in his direction.

“Now that we’ve settled our differences, let’s get on with figuring out what we’re going to do to get Ben back,” he said. “We know where he’s being held, but I’m assuming it won’t be as easy as simply waltzing into the building and plucking Ben from his father’s clutches.” He glanced expectantly at Eva, who nodded in agreement.

“My father has a small army of guards with battle-oriented super powers. A lot of them are elemental fighters, but he’s also got a few with super strength and powers along those lines as well. I wouldn’t say they’re the best fighters in existence, but there’s a couple in the bunch that can hold their own when the fighting gets tough.”

“So then what would you suggest we do exactly?” asked Charles.

“Avoid fighting at all costs,” said Eva flatly. “You probably won’t be able to avoid it once you get to the penthouse level, but at least finding a way to get through the front door. That’s where the bulk of the security force is positioned.”

“Are there any other routes we can take to get up to the penthouse?” asked Sam as she nervously thought about battling hordes of bulky, super powered guards.

“Is there anyone here that can fly?” asked Eva.

“I can, but I can’t carry everyone if I’m the only one,” said Dean. The downcast looks and shaking heads around him told them all they needed to know.

“Then no, the only way we can get in is through the front door and up the main elevator, to which I have the keycard,” said Eva.

“What if we’re invisible, would we be able to get past security?” asked Dean as he shot a glance at Collin.

“That would probably be your best shot,” said Eva as she appeared to puzzle through the possibility. “Though I don’t know if my father may have installed any infrared tech on the penthouse floor. I would guess invisibility would get you into the elevator, but beyond that you’ll have to fight.”

“That’s better than nothing,” said Sam. “Alright, then here’s what we’ll do. Charles, I’ll have you hang back in the car, your power is great, but not in combat situations.”

“Fair enough,” said Charles as he nodded thoughtfully.

“The rest of us will head into the building, with Eva leading the way. We’ll have to be prepared to fight, worst case scenario.” Everyone nodded in agreement as Angela cracked her knuckles. “Collin, you have invisibility correct?”

“Yeaup,” said Collin as he met Sam’s gaze coolly.

“Then you’ll be the one to get us through to that elevator. Are you able to cloak us all?”

“I can, but timing will be tight. I’ve never really pushed the limits of my invisibility before, so I don’t know if it’ll hold for long. By my estimates, I should be able to just barely get us through, but I don’t know for sure.”

“I’ll take it, its the only option we’ve got at this point.” Sam cast her gaze to Dean. “You mentioned you could fly, is that what your power is?” Dean smirked and lifted his hand lazily before his face. He brought his thumb and middle finger together and then emphatically snapped, creating a mote of flame hovering just above his palm.

“I can create and manipulate flames,” he explained. “I basically use jet propulsion to fly, but flying isn’t the only thing I can do.”

“Great, then you’ll be fighting with Link, Angela, and Vikki.” Sam turned back to Collin. “Once you get everyone to the elevator, hang with me and Eva in case we need to break free of the fighting to get to Ben.” Collin nodded quietly in response.

“Me, Collin and Eva will try to stay out of the fighting as much as possible, but I can use my telekinesis if necessary.”

“I would advise you to save your energy for my father,” said Eva. “If you were able to telepathically communicate with Ben, you may be the only one here that can break my father’s control over his mind, if it comes to that. I have super reflexes, so I can defend our little pod if necessary.”

“Good point,” said Sam as she mused thoughtfully. “And you’ll be able to get us into the penthouse, right?”

“Of course, I do live there you know,” snapped Eva. She huffed as she took in the sharp glare tossed her way by Angela. “Sorry, this has been a long ass day and I’m frankly a bit anxious to just get this shit over with.”

“Fine then, I think we’ve got everything we need to give this a shot. Any questions?” Sam glanced around the room and was met with a collection of determined gazes.

“Actually I do have one question,” said Charles as his gaze settled on Eva. “Why did you come to Sam’s apartment in the first place?”

“Ben asked me to fill you in Sam,” said Eva as her expression softened. “He knew you’d be concerned after you found his apartment in its current state, and he explained that you’re his neighbor. I happened to arrive near the end of your recap of the events this morning.” Sam felt a sting in her eyes as tears threatened to break free, but she quickly wiped away the moisture with the back of her sleeve.

“Thanks Eva,” Sam managed to squeak as she re-centered herself. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam swore she saw Dean grin in her direction, but once she turned to face him, his face was stoic.

“I have a question Sam,” said Angela. “When do we get to leave so we can go kick this dickhead’s ass?” Sam glanced at her phone and noted it was already inching past six in the evening.

“Honestly, I want to drive down there right now and save him before his dad has time to do anything worse. It sounds like he’s probably in danger right now.” Sam chewed on her thumbnail anxiously as she debated whether it was right to ask everyone to leave with her right this second.

“Sam, we want to save him just as much as you do,” said Dean. Collin nodded silently beside him in agreement. “We’ll go whenever you’re ready.”

“Let’s do it,” said Angela as the reddish tint began to bloom slowly from her shoulders. “I’m ready to knock some skulls if I need to.”

“I’m good too Sam,” said Link, giving her a thumbs up of approval.

“Then let’s head out now,” said Eva. “I’ve got a car, so between Charles and I, we’ve got transport covered.” Everyone nodded and rose from the couch as they walked through their own pre-battle preparations. Angela punched the air emphatically, which seemed to keep the red tint at bay. Vikki breathed deeply as she swirled a bead of water around her hand from a small pouch strapped to her side. Flames sprouted from Dean’s fingers as his cold stare fixed on the front door.

“Let’s do this then,” said Sam as she led the super-powered menagerie through the front door, down the hall, and towards imminent battle.


	8. A Stealthy Entrance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and the crew drive to San Diego to rescue Ben. Their initial plan is immediately thrown out the window as the guard in the entry way catches them, tossing them into a battle they hoped desperately to avoid.

Sam fidgeted in the front seat of Charles’s car as it zipped down the freeway and weaved in between clusters of traffic. Charles cast a few sidelong glances at Sam, his eyes swimming with concern.

“You sure you’ll be able to handle this Sam?” asked Charles as he switched lanes to avoid a van ambling along the highway.

“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I have to try,” said Sam as she clenched her fists. “Ben’s in trouble, and I can’t just leave him like this. I’ll do whatever I can.” Sam stared straight ahead, determined but anxious as the unknowns of their rescue issues loomed before her. The coastline zipped by, with Los Angeles nothing but a glow in the horizon behind them. Towering cliffs sat intimidatingly to their right and tumbled down to the turbulent sea to their left. Sam watched the waves crash against the rocks, the sea a black void with the occasional white cap of a wave slashed across its surface. Angry foam roiled on the rocky shore as the waves continued to dash against the jagged rocks.

“Its okay Sam, you’re not doing this alone,” said Vikki in a soothing tone from the backseat. Sam pivoted and met Angela’s fiery gaze.

“Yeah, we’re going to help you take this prick down and bring Marsh...I mean Ben back,” said Angela through gritted teeth. “Which, by the way, you need to explain that one. Why’d he tell you his name is Marshall? If he weren’t in danger, I’d kick his ass for lying to you like that.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt by it,” said Sam with downcast eyes as she rested her chin on the shoulder of her seat. “But I get why he did it. He was trying to run away from exactly what’s happening now, and we weren’t really close enough before this all happened for him to tell me yet. I can’t really blame him for keeping something like that from me.”

“I guess you’re right,” grumbled Angela. “But I’ll still chew him out over it later, and if he lies to you again like that.” Angela’s words trailed away as she smashed her fist into her open palm, redness sprouting on her fingertips with a smirk. Sam chuckled and nodded, then flipped back around to stare out at the road ahead.

The twinkling of city lights bloomed on the horizon ahead of them as San Diego slowly crept into view. Traffic became more congested as they inched closer to their destination, causing Charles to slow his quickened pace. Eva’s car ahead of them grew closer as traffic slowed to a crawl, eliciting a curse from Chares’s lips.

“I hope this isn’t a huge back-up,” said Charles as he glanced at his GPS. The map showed a small sliver of red ahead of them, with a green line shortly after leading them to their destination.

“Looks like its just something small,” said Sam as she scrolled the screen, looking for signs of further back-ups. Sure enough, as they watched Dean animatedly wave his hands in lively conversation in the back of Eva’s car, they snuck past a semi truck with a blown tire on the left shoulder, causing cars to carefully maneuver around it. Sam breathed a sigh of relief as traffic quickly accelerated to a more normal pace after passing the truck, though her anxiety slowly grew as skyscrapers engulfed the skies. The coastline curved away as crammed city blocks dotted the landscape. Charles wove expertly through the city, zig-zagging through the crowded streets until a large, obsidian glass monstrosity pierced the sky before them.

“That’s it,” said Charles as he swerved through a near-by parking structure and quickly found a quiet spot near the top. He glanced between the GPS and the tower before them and nodded to himself in confirmation.

“I’ll keep my phone on ring, so if you need any backup, just give me a call,” he said as he met Sam’s gaze. Sam gulped and nodded as her trembling fingers snapped her seatbelt free.

“Thank you Charles, for everything,” said Sam as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I can’t even begin to tell you how much this means to me.”

“My pleasure, Samara,” said Charles, his eyes distant as if he struggled with inner turmoil. He broke his gaze from her and kept his forward, idly thumbing the steering wheel. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but quickly snapped it shut as he decided against it.

“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” said Sam as she reached for the door handle and released the latch. The door swung out at the light touch of her foot. She swung her legs outside the car and heaved herself into the parking lot, with Angela and Vikki quickly following suit.

“Good luck everyone,” said Charles with a sad smile as they closed the car doors behind them. Sam noted his unease and wondered what could be the cause. She quickly filed it away as something to ask him later so that she could focus on the task at hand.

Eva strolled down the parking garage, her heeled leather boots slapping on the pavement as she passed rows of empty spaces. Dean sauntered behind her, flicking flames to life and extinguishing them as Collin and Link followed silently behind.

“Is everyone ready?” asked Eva. A flurry of silent nods was their only response as Sam’s heart fluttered wildly in her chest.

“Let’s head out then. Collin, you should activate your invisibility once we’re at street level, there’s cameras everywhere.”

“Alright, then when we get to the street, everyone make sure to grab someone’s shoulder. We all need to be touching if I’m going to cloak everyone. Eva, I’ll need you in front so you can lead us, but we’ll need someone up front for protection as well.” Color drained from his face as the weight and uncertainty of the situation hit him.

“I got it,” said Dean, his typical swagger oddly absent. He quickened his pace to fall beside Eva, who shot him a glance of surprise. He grinned slightly at her, though the smile failed to reach his eyes.

“Let’s go then,” said Eva as she made her way to the stairwell. Everyone else trailed behind, with Sam walking between Angela and Vikki. Link fell into place just ahead of Sam, as if to shield her. Sam’s breath quickened as she reached into her jacket for her inhaler. She breathed in the tingling, medicated air, which brought relief to her tightened lungs.

“It’ll be alright Sam,” said Vikki reassuringly as Angela grasped Sam’s hand, squeezing tightly. Sam nodded tersely as they ghosted down the stairwell, their words abandoning them as everyone tensed with nervous anticipation. As they reached the ground floor, Collin hissed an order behind him to link themselves together. They obeyed, Angela keeping her hand locked with Sam’s as Vikki rested her palm on Sam’s shoulder. Link his hand in Angela’s, which brought a shocked blush to her cheeks, but she accepted the small kindness without complaint. He glanced back and met her gaze briefly, shooting her a small smile. Angela met his gaze, her face a miasma of confusion and hints of joy as she locked her fingers with his.

Collin glanced over his shoulder to ensure everyone was linked, then faced forward as everyone simply ceased existing on the physical plane. Sam felt incredibly disoriented as her body and the people around her suddenly vanished. She felt her shoes connect with the pavement and felt her hand still gripping Angela’s tightly, but all these feelings were at odds with her sight.

“It’ll take a minute to adjust, so we’ll take it slow, but once we get inside we need to hurry to the elevator,” huffed Collin from somewhere ahead of her. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to hold this for long.” The group shuffled awkwardly across the empty street before them towards the glass tower looming before them. After bumping into who she assumed was Link ahead of her more than a few times, Sam eventually found her bearings, and it seemed like everyone around her did as well as they quickened their pace successfully. Panic suddenly swelled in Sam’s chest as she realized they hadn’t discussed how to open the front door without arousing suspicion, but her concerns were quickly settled as her eyes fell on an automatic revolving door. The group stood before it for a revelation, getting a feel for the rhythm, before deftly sliding into one of the large, wedge chambers and shuffling along with the automatic turnstile.

The doors deposited them into a cavernous entryway, filled with floor to ceiling windows and gleaming marble tile. They crept through the massive room without a sound, for which Sam was grateful as they passed by a guard at the front desk thumbing through a comic book. As Sam looked on, the guard suddenly straightened in his chair and pressed a finger to the speaker in his ear, his comic book messily abandoned on the desk before him. His head swiveled in their direction. Sam felt his gaze pierce through her as he muttered into a microphone clipped to his lapel. He leapt from his chair and stalked in their direction, Sam’s heart rate climbing with each step.

“Guys, I’m sorry,” Collin whispered, his voice strained, as the invisibility coating them melted away. He huffed, sweat dripping down his face, as the guard approaching them suddenly shouted.

“We’ve got intruders!” he shouted into his microphone as he rushed forward, fire igniting along his arms. The fire crept down his arms and amassed before his open palms, roiling into a massive fireball. He grunted as he shoved the fireball away from him, sending it hurtling in the direction of Sam and her rescue crew.

Vikki deftly leapt in front, placing herself between the fireball’s trajectory and the group. She waved her hands, coaxing the water from her pouch with a mesmerizing dance of her fingers. The water gurgled out of the pouch and quickly swished into a thick shield. The fireball hissed as it erupted against the shield. Steam billowed around her and swiftly condensed back into water to reinforce the chunk of shield the fireball managed to evaporate away.

“Go! I can handle this guy,” said Vikki through gritted teeth as she tugged fiercely at the wall. The shining marble wall cracked and buckled as shattered pipes broke free, spraying gallons of water into the air. Vikki re-routed the gushing water, sending a tidal wave crashing into the guard. He screamed as his flames winked away, doused by the wall of water that slammed into him and swept him across the floor. He smashed into the wall on the other side of the room with a sickening crack, leaving him slumped on the floor with one arm splayed out at an unnatural angle. A trickle of blood slid silently down his temple from a gash which disappeared into his hairline.

The rest of the group rushed towards the elevators, which were positioned down a narrow hall to the left of the front desk. Boots thundered down an adjacent hallway as a group of men surged towards the entry hall.

“I’ll stay back to help Vikki, just go!” shouted Dean as he spun to face the approaching guards. Vikki appeared silently beside him, wielding the water spilling from the pipes. The torrent of water encircled her and Dean, creating a protective shell to slow down the guards approaching them.

Sam looked back as a group of six guards circled the pair, their various powers crackling and hissing in anticipation. Angela pulled her along as the rest of the group darted down the hallway to the shimmering golden elevator doors shoved against the wall to their left. Eva slammed the call button and brushed her key card against the reader beside it. The group listened intently to the whirring of the elevator mechanisms in the shaft beyond as they watched the guards engage with Dean and Vikki.

A cracking whip of water slammed into a lightning wielder, easily tossing him aside. The man shot a bolt of lightning behind him, slowing him slightly as he smashed into the wall behind him. He groaned, but got back to his feet, swiping the back of his hand across his bleeding lip. Arcs of crackling electricity surged between his fingertips as his hair stood on edge. Dean shouted, slamming the wind weaver he’d been battling across the room as he dove to intercept the lightning wielder. Vikki turned her attention to a second fire manipulator with a smirk as she whipped a slew of water into a frenzied cyclone. The rotating wall of water quickly engulfed the man, extinguishing his flames. He clutched his throat as angry bubbles escaped his open mouth, his eyes bulging as he slowly lost the air within his lungs. Vikki held him within the raging whirlpool, her typically stoic features filled with rage as the man struggled for breath. Just as it looked like he couldn’t hold on any longer, Vikki released him, sending him tumbling to the ground in sputtered gasps. She took the opportunity to smash a wave of water against his trembling frame, sending him tumbling into the corridor beyond, smashing into potted plants as he went. The surge of water eventually subsided, but the man remained in a crumpled heap.

Two of the smaller guards, who had hung back a safe distance from the fight, fled as they watched Vikki and Dean weave a path of destruction, leaving only the lightning wielder behind. The man’s chest heaved as his lightning clashed against another jet of fire. The flames licked dangerously close to his face as his powers began to fail, singing the ends of his hair. Sweat dripped silently down Dean’s face as he welled another rush of flames within his palms. He shoved a rotating ball of fire towards the guard, who tried, but failed, to block it with his own powers. The guard screeched, his exposed skin sizzling and sprouting angry red blisters as the fireball collided with him and sent him crashing into the wall. He remained on the floor, clutching his ruined face and whimpering.

As another group of shouting guards crashed through the adjacent hallway, the ethereal ding of the elevator door brought the group’s attention to the arriving elevator cab.

“Get in!” hissed Eva as she shoved the rest of the group into the elevator as the doors slowly slid open. Sam stumbled over the threshold with Eva on her heels. She watched nervously as Dean and Vikki prepared themselves to face off against the fresh set of guards, their chests heaving with sweat dripping down their faces. Vikki shot her a reassuring smile, then turned to face the guards. Dean leaned over and mumbled something to Vikki that Sam couldn’t hear over the rush of water and clamoring of guards. Vikki nodded in response, eyes focused ahead as she readied herself for another round of battles.

After a furious collection of seconds with Angela smashing the door close button, the doors slowly slid closed and the elevator rumbled to life as it trundled up the hoistway.

“They’ll be alright Sam,” said Angela as Sam nervously nibbled on her thumbnail. “You know Vikki’s one of the best water weavers in the area, and Dean doesn’t seem like a push over either.”

“Yeah I know, I just can’t help worrying about them,” said Sam as she battled with the guilt of dragging her friends into this, and the anxiety that they may not make it out alive.

“Let’s worry about ourselves right now, worrying about them isn’t going to help us save Ben,” said Eva as she tapped her boot nervously against the elevator’s marble floor. “I don’t know when, but dad must have installed IR cameras in the entry hall too. I’m going to guess that’s how they knew we were there.” She swore as she paced along the far wall of the elevator, muttering different plans and back up plans to herself.

The chrome walls surrounding them reflected a disheveled bunch with wild eyes and nervous flutters as the elevator surged upwards. The red, digital number above the door slowly ticked up with each floor they passed. Sam watched the number slowly climb, her heart skipping a beat every time it switched.

“Its on the fortieth floor,” said Eva as she observed Sam’s rapt attention on the floor tracker. Sam nodded slightly, her eyes glued to the digital display. The numbers crept past twenty, then thirty, and suddenly they slipped past the thirty-ninth floor. The elevator decelerated as it approached their destination. A final, resounding chime echoed through the silent cab as they reached the fortieth floor. The elevator doors smoothly slid open, revealing, to Link’s horror, a smirking Dallas, flanked by two bulky looking guards.


	9. Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam, Link, Eva, Collin and Angela have made it to the floor on which Mr. Lawson's penthouse resides, but they're met with resistance from Dallas and a handful of guards. The group launches into a fierce battle as Eva tries her best to ensure Sam makes it into the penthouse unharmed.

“Dallas? Why?” breathed Link, his eyes shimmering with pained disbelief. Angela’s gaze darted between the brothers, redness creeping up her neck and crawling down her arms as her eyes slowly shifted to a ruby tint.

“Why not?” Dallas scoffed as he stood in the doorway of the elevator. The doors chimed angrily in a vain attempt to ward him off, but he ignored it as the steel slabs twitched on either side of him.

“I needed the money, and this guy’s loaded. He basically threw money at me for dragging his spoiled ass son home, and he’s paying me even more to get rid of you.” Dallas smirked as Link’s expression darkened.

“You know you could have just asked me,” spat Link. “Instead of resorting to shit that’s illegal. You know you could go to jail for kidnapping someone, right?”

“Don’t you fucking talk down on me like you’re dad,” snarled Dallas as curving horns sprouted from his forehead. “Kissing mom’s ass ever since dad died with your hard working bullshit doesn’t make you better than me.” His features contorted, his face elongating into a snout and his body exploding into the rippling, muscular form of a massive bull.

Dallas whipped his tail and bellowed as he charged the elevator. Link leapt to the front of the group and latched onto the piercing horns barrelling their way. One horn nicked his forearm, leaving behind a thin trail of blood, but Link remained unphased. He heaved against the lunging, hulking mass of hooves and muscle, sending Dallas tumbling into the hallway beyond. The guards took careful steps back, flanking Dallas and evaluating their opponents as they ramped up their own powers. One of the guards held a defensive stance as an obsidian, glossy substance raced across his skin. He slapped his hands together as if to test the final product, and smirked when the clap thundered across the hall.

The other guard smacked his hand against the wall behind him. His fingers and palm were engulfed in a blinding yellow light as the concrete suddenly shrank away, the excess morphing into a hulking war hammer. His hands sank slightly as he grasped the handle of the concrete hammer and yanked it from its concrete mold. He hefted the hammer, smirking as he felt the weight of his work, then dashed towards the group still crammed in the elevator.

“Out, now!” shouted Eva as she yanked Sam and Collin forward, Link and Angela following closely behind. Angela snarled as her muscles bulged, with what was merely a hint of red covering her skin completely. Her top cuspids lengthened, ending in violent points that protruded from beneath her upper lip. Her eyes glowed a crimson shade that promised a swift, gruesome death for those that crossed her. She opened her mouth and let loose an ear-piercing shriek as she crashed towards the man wielding the concrete hammer.

Color drained from his face as the demon formerly known as Angela dashed towards him, her nails quickly turning to claws as she bared her razor sharp teeth. He seemed to find what little courage remained within him as he hoisted his hammer above his shoulder and lunged at Angela with a shout. He slammed the hammer down before him as Angela closed the distance between them, hoping that the stony hammer head connected with the snarling demon before him. It didn’t.

Angela darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the hammer as it crashed to the ground and cracked the marble tile beneath. She was a blur as she rammed her claws forward, piercing the guard’s arm. He let out a guttural, bone-chilling shriek as Angela ripped her claw to the side, shredding muscle and sinew as it exited. The guard’s hands trembled, his face a ghostly pallor as he reached for the wound gushing at his side, before he crumpled to the floor. Blood dripped from Angela’s claw as she snarled, closing in on the guard shuddering on the ground as he fought to remain conscious.

“Angela, that’s enough!” screamed Sam as she watched her friend inch closer to becoming a murder. Angela snapped around to face Sam, her ruby eyes glistening with pure hatred. Whatever those eyes found were enough to stave off the beasial rage coursing through Angela’s veins as she shot a last snarl at the guard before racing off to engage the next guard.

The remaining guard’s obsidian shield glimmered in the lights overhead as he stared Angela down, his gaze a challenge. She snarled, her fangs glistening as she struck towards him, claws extended. The guard remained standing, a smirk creeping across his sable face as Angela’s claws careened off of his armored arm. A small scratch remained where the claws connected.

“It’ll take a lot more than that babe,” snickered the guard as he slammed his fist towards Angela. She growled as his fist connected with her forearms, which she managed to throw before her at the last minute, shielding her face.

“Don’t. Fucking. Call. Me. Babe,” she growled, her body contorting and growing more muscular as the rage overtook her completely. Her body lost all hints of the human that lurked beneath the surface as angry, crimson fur erupted across her skin. Acrid, sulfuric breath heaved from her chest as angry venom dripped from her fangs. Fierce redness engulfed her eyes completely, which seemed to glow as she narrowed them at the guard suddenly shrinking away from her. Her maw opened, teeth jutting forward, then snapped down on the guard’s outstretched arms. He shrieked as his shield melted away, revealing flesh that Angela’s fangs easily sliced through. She shook her head vigorously, slamming the guard head first into the wall and shattering the rest of his shields. He slumped to the ground, his arms leaking blood on the ground beneath him as Angela released a demonic roar.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Link hoisted Dallas into the air, who still maintained the body of a bull as he reeled from his impact with the wall. Before Link could successfully toss him further down the hall, Dallas shifted into a fly, easily buzzing from Link’s grasp. Dallas landed on the ground and morphed again into the form of a lion, his golden fur rippling as he let out a trembling roar.

Link grimaced as he rushed to meet the tangle of claws and teeth crashing towards him. Razor sharp claws dug into his upper arms as Link dove beneath Dallas’s gnashing jaws, barely missing the teeth that were aimed for his throat. He slammed his body into Dallas’s exposed underside, throwing the bulk of his super strength into the collision. The lion vanished, leaving a dazed Dallas reeling on the ground before him, clutching his stomach as blood dribbled out the side of his mouth.

Link flinched, his face contorting in pain, as he crouched down to meet Dallas’s gaze, a trail of crimson blood snaking down from the wounds left behind by the lion’s claws, mirroring the slice left behind by Dallas’s bull horns that was finally beginning to staunch. He clenched his fists and dug them into his legs in frustration.

“Dallas, I get it,” said Link with a wince as he ignored the rumbling roar echoing down the hall, the source vaguely in the direction of Angela’s battle. “When dad died from that accident at work, we all had to figure out how to go on without him. Mom really didn’t know how to, not with the mortgage left on the house while still having to provide for the two of us. She confided in me because I was out of school at that point. She didn’t want you to have to bear any extra burden than you were already dealing with, having lost your dad while still struggling through high school. I get that that was frustrating for you, and I’m sorry I didn’t make sure you were involved. I get why you’re doing this, why you feel the need to make money. I really get it, but this is the wrong way to go about it. This shit is illegal, and I’m sure dad would be pissed if he found out you were trying to throw your life away just to get some extra money.”

Dallas listened with downcast eyes, refusing to meet Link’s gaze. He nodded, tears sprouting at the corner of his eyes and tumbling down his face.

“I just felt like such a fucking loser, going on with my life like nothing happened while you and mom busted your asses,” he sniffled. “I tried getting a couple of part time jobs, but they all turned me down. Didn’t interview well or some shit like that. But then this gig came up and I just...I couldn’t take being so useless anymore. Once I broke into Ben’s apartment, I knew I was fucking stuck. I’d already broken one law, and the crazy amount of money Mr. Lawson was offering kept me going.” Dallas raised his gaze, tears flowing freely as he broke into a sob. Link’s face broke as silent tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. He pulled Dallas into a rough, brotherly embrace as the two mourned the loss of their father and the loss of normalcy in their lives.

\---------------------------------------------------

“Sam, let’s go,” whispered Eva as she tugged Sam away from the fray towards the bend in the hallway beyond. Sam watched as Link and Dallas hugged one another, grieving the chasm between them. Angela slowly shrank back to her normal form, the shocking red fur shrinking away as her claws and fangs receded.

“Collin, are you able to use your powers again?” asked Eva over her shoulder as she hurried Sam and Collin along. Collin shook his head forlornly.

“I’m burned out for a while,” he said dejectedly. Eva grimaced, but nodded.

“We’ll manage, but my father will have guards down this hallway as well,” Eva explained as she crept towards the bend in the hallway. “Since we can’t sneak past them, I’ll have to distract them. Sam, take this.” Eva slipped her key card into Sam’s hand. “You’ll have to unlock it once I signal the go-ahead. I’ll cross my fingers behind my back to let you know when.”

“Collin, why don’t you hang back with Link and Angela so you can tell them the plan?” said Sam.

“Sure, I won’t be much use to you two in this state anyways,” said Collin. He jammed his hands in his pockets and spun on his heels, then ambled his way towards Angela and the Hudson brothers.

Eva peered around the corner and sucked in a breath at whatever she found.

“One of the guards should be pretty easy, but the other will be tough to get through.”

“I can help if you need it Eva,” said Sam as she clutched the key card.

“Only if I need it,” Eva said sharply. “You need all your strength for my father if you stand a chance beating him.” Sam gulped, color draining from her face as she realized how close she was to facing the last hurtle standing between her and Ben. She nodded tersely, eliciting a small smile from Eva.

“I believe in you Sam. You put this all together just to save my brother. When this is all over, I promise you I’ll find a way to make it up to you for all the shit I caused.”

“You already have Eva,” said Sam, placing her hand on Eva’s shoulder with a small smile. “Without you, we wouldn’t have known where to go. We wouldn’t have been able to manage any kind of rescue attempt.” Tears shimmered in Eva’s eyes as she clutched the back of Sam’s hand in a grateful squeeze.

“Good luck Sam,” she said, her voice trembling slightly.

“You too Eva,’ said Sam, her voice breaking at the sudden torrent of jarring emotions. Eva shot her a warm, tearful smile, then turned to face their adversaries, her face hardening as she stepped around the corner.

The guards seemed ready for them as they turned to face Eva, smirks splayed across their faces.

“Took your time with Chuck and Trent, didn’t you?” sneered the hulking mass of muscle to Eva’s right. She looked at her nails, putting on an air of nonchalance as she leered at him, a crooked smile turning her expression sinister.

“I had to make sure they wouldn’t intrude in the fight we’re about to have,” she purred as she reached into her jacket, extracting a pair of retracted batons. She flicked them outward, snapping them open to their full length. A button she pressed on the grip of each baton sent a shock of electricity crackling along the length of them. The muscular guard swaggered up to close the gap between them, cracking his knuckles. Eva braced herself, batons crossed, as the guard launched himself at her.

His overpowered legs shot him forward, one fist wound back. He honed in as Eva remained stoic, focusing on his movements. He rotated back, then rocketed his fist in an arc, screaming towards Eva with a sickening pace. At the last moment she ducked, sending him tumbling into the wall beside her with his momentum. The fist shattered against the concrete with the crunch of bone. Blood streamed down his ruined knuckles as he clutched his hand, his furious gaze boring into Eva as she smirked, beckoning him forward.

He shouted, winding up his unmarred hand for another super-powered punch as he jetted for her. Eva maneuvered around the flying fist with unnatural speed, slamming a crackling baton against the man’s chest. He heaved and clutched at his chest, eyes wide with terror as high voltage wracked his body. His breath quickened and eyes bulged as he collapsed to the ground, legs twitching at the electricity escaped to the ground beneath him.

“Lyle was always shit at dueling with you,” the final guard spat as he approached Eva, his face grim as his gaze fell on his colleague lying in an unmoving heap beside her.

“Yeah, he was just a warm up,” said Eva with a grin, swiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.

“You know your dad’s going to be pissed as fuck when he finds out you were a part of this, right?” said the guard as he shirked off his jacket. Glistening, acid green pools swam just beneath the surface of his skin, the liquid within boiling as he flexed his shoulders.

“As if he didn’t already guess given how far we got,” said Eva, her eyes narrowing as she took in the acid nodules of her opponent. “Frankly, this has been a long time coming, and I’m glad I get to take part in it.” The guard sighed, a hint of pain swimming in his eyes, complimenting the down turned edges of his mouth.

“I’m not going to be able to convince you to leave, am I?” he sighed as he emptied one of the nodules on his right arm. The acidic ooze hovered in the air, dripping viscous liquid that ate away the marble beneath with ease.

“Fuck no,” growled Eva, tensing as she watched the acid burn it way through the floor.

“Then let’s get this over with,” said the guard as he flicked his fingers in Eva’s direction. The acid obeyed his command, hurtling through the air towards Eva’s head. She narrowly dodged aside, leaving the acid to splatter against the wall behind her. Acrid smoke billowed off the wall behind her, stinging Sam’s nostrils as she watched the battle ensue in horror.

Eva shuffled in an arc around the hallway, baiting the guard further down the hall. He took it, hurtling after her as the clack of her boots ricocheted across the marble corridor. The pair sprinted past the door, Sam’s destination, acid soaring through the air as Eva zig-zagged to avoid it. A stray drop landed on her jacket as a large glob splattered against the wall beside her, burning through the supple leather and singing her skin.

Sam watched them disappear further down the hallway and chose to take a chance. The unguarded door feet before her beckoned, the key card trembling in her shaking hands. She steadied herself, sucking in a grounding breath, then launched herself around the corner and sprinted towards the door. Her lungs screamed at the exertion, but she battled through it. Wheezing, she skidded to a halt and slammed the key card against the reader beside the door. The whir of the lock within rattled, followed by the heavy clunk of the lock being released. Sam shoved her body weight against the door, swinging the massive wooden slab inward.

She stepped over the threshold, sweat dripping down the side of her face. Her eyes widened in horror as her gaze fell upon a smug Mr. Lawson, his arms crossed with a leering smile in her direction. Ben stood behind him, his face a blank slate and his eyes glazed. He failed to react as she stepped into the light of the living room before her.

“Welcome Samara,” sneered Mr. Lawson, his eyes twinkling with malicious delight.


	10. Mind Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A showdown between Mr. Lawson and Sam as she finally finds Ben.

“Let him go,” snarled Sam as she felt a level of rage she’d never felt before race through every inch of her body. Her fingertips twitched, itching to snap around Mr. Lawson’s neck as his perfectly white teeth glared at her in response.

“I think not,” he said as he slowly paced the living room, his eyes slowly swiveling between Sam and the blackened skies on display through the towering glass wall stretching the length of the room. “I’ve spent a fair amount of money to get him back, and now that he’s being so...obedient, I’m loath to let him leave again.” The corners of his mouth twitched in sadistic delight as Ben remained rooted to the floor, his gaze seeming to register nothing at all. Sam’s eyes burned fiercely as she took in the helpless form of Ben, trapped within his own body. She spun on Mr. Lawson, stalking forward as she drew from a depthless well of courage. She would do nothing less than give her all to save Ben, the goofy, serious, and incredibly caring man from whom her heart sang.

Her eyes leapt to the small table standing near the entryway. With a flick of telekinetic power, she lifted it into the air. It rotated menacingly beside her as her eyes narrowed. She shoved her powers against the table, flinging it across the room. It spun wickedly towards it mark, Mr. Lawson, who grinned and snapped his attention on Ben. Ben immediately spun on his heels and leapt into the air. He zipped past the spinning table and hovered inches before Mr. Lawson, serving as a human shield as the table slammed into his chest and shattered.

“Ben, no!” Sam screamed as she watched the table splinter against Ben, the remains tumbling to the ground.

A pained grunt escaped his lips, but Ben followed Mr. Lawson’s wordless commands obediently as Ben sunk to the ground and stood stoically beside him.

“How can you do this to your son?” she snarled, her voice rising as seething, desperate tears streamed down her cheeks. “Can you even imagine how much pain he’s in right now, being held against his will? Trapped in his own mind? Forced to take your punches? Are you really okay with torturing the man you chose to raise from infancy?”

“You’re making a large amount of assumptions _Ms. Young_ , and I would implore you to rethink your next words before you find yourself in even greater mortal peril,” said Mr. Lawson, his face a mask of silent rage as his tone dropped to a sinister tone that sent a terrified shudder down Sam’s spine. She gulped, but a side-long glance at Ben, at his hollow, listless eyes, rekindled her rage.

“I don’t give a fuck, _Mr. Lawson_ ,” Sam spat. “I’ll say exactly what’s on my mind, which is that you’re a shit father, and I’m taking Ben home with me whether you allow it or not.” Mr. Lawson’s eyes bulged as a vein twitched on his temple, his expression apoplectic with fury. His smouldering eyes landed on the still form of Ben.

“So be it, Ms. Young,” he whispered, his voice gradually rising. “Let’s see how deep your dedication to _saving_ my son truly is.”

Ben turned slowly to face Sam, eyes narrowed. His feet left the ground as he hovered inches off the floor. He shot straight for Sam, arms outstretched. He slammed into her, fingers wrapping around her throat, and sent them hurtling for the wall behind them. Sam’s back collided with the smooth, dark wall, pain screaming down her spine. She gasped, grasping at Ben’s tightening fingers around her neck. Her panicked eyes met Ben’s. A flicker of despair flashed across his face as he seemed to struggle within himself. Desperately, Sam threw her every ounce of telepathic power against Ben.

She found a shield wrapped in chains, a foreign thing that had the same, greasy slime she felt radiating off of Mr. Lawson. She pounded her fists in desperation against it as she felt her throat slowly closing beneath Ben’s firm grasp. She dug deep within herself, pouring the love she felt for Ben, the fiery passion she felt between them, into a roiling cauldron of strength within her chest. Telepathic power surged through her, slamming against the shield before her. Mr. Lawson staggered back as Sam’s powers smashed against the wall of mind control over and over, the sickening shield buckling little by little. A hoarse scream escaped her lips as she hurtled herself at the barrier with what she knew would be her last attempt as her head screamed at the increasing lack of oxygen.

Sam gasped as the barricade buckled, shattering in a spectacular display that sent Mr. Lawson reeling to the ground with a bone-chilling shriek. Ben’s fingers released immediately as he dropped to the ground, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he collapsed. Sam knelt on the ground, gasping for breath as she clutched her aching neck, her vision swimming as her brain attempted to regain the oxygen it needed with each desperate gulp of air.

“Ben,” she choked, clutching his shoulder with trembling fingers. Quaking, she pressed her ear to his chest. Tears of joy spilled down her cheeks as she heard his heart steadily beat within and felt the slight rise and fall of his breath. Sobs rattled through her as she clung to Ben’s chest, her emotions cresting in an overwhelming tide that threatened to drag her under. She felt as if she could fall asleep right there, sprawled across Ben’s chest upon the cold floor of Mr. Lawson’s penthouse apartment, as the chaos of the last twenty four hours caught up with her. She forced herself to her feet, her head pounding, as she staggered towards the entryway.

She caught a glimpse of Mr. Lawson as she passed, blood dribbling from his gaping mouth and down both his nostrils. He seemed conscious, but his gaze lazily dragged between the couch and the coffee table before it, his lips moving silently as he attempted to speak but failed to find the words. Sam winced at the sight, knowing she was the cause, but she knew she needed to find Eva and the others before she could address it.

Sam crept to the front door and slowly peered down the hall in the direction Eva and the acid-wielding guard were sprinting before she entered Mr. Lawson’s domain. Gaping holes dotted the corridor as the remaining bits of acid happily sizzled within the craters. Sam crept down the hall, dreading what could await her at the end. It was curiously empty as she reached the final stretch of marble flooring which ended in a small table. One of its legs was thoroughly eaten away by acid, leaving the vase upon it to tumble to the ground and shatter spectacularly. The fractured vase remained, but Eva was nowhere to be found.

“Looking for me?” asked a voice behind her. Sam whipped around and was met with a sight that brought tears of relief streaming down her cheeks. Eva stood at the head of the pack, flanked by Collin, Angela and Link, with Dallas shuffling silently behind them. Sam’s eyes fell on the blistering wounds glaring from various holes along Eva’s shoulders, eliciting a gasp from her lips. Eva waved her away and gestured to the penthouse’s open door.

“We can deal with the injuries later, I’m assuming you beat my father if you’re out here in the hallway looking for us. Where’s Ben?”

“He’s unconscious, but breathing,” said Sam. “I think we should get him checked, just to be sure. But your father…” Sam’s eyes dropped to the floor in shame as she beckoned the group to follow her. They stepped over the threshold and crowded into the apartment’s entryway. Eva gasped, cupping her hand over her mouth, as her gaze fell on what remained of her father.

They found him lounging against one of the living room’s leather couches, his mouth slightly agape as his gaze swiveled about the room. Blood dripped from his nostrils, staining his upper lip. Eva’s trembling steps carried her closer, but she halted before the coffee table.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice quaking slightly.

“I...I’m not sure,” admitted Sam. “I broke his hold over Ben, and as soon as that happened, he just...collapsed. He’s been like that ever since. It seems like whatever I did had some knockback effects on him.” Eva nodded, her eyes glued to her father, her gaze pained as she watched him flounder before them, unable to speak. She tore her attention away, forcing herself to survey the unconscious body of Ben sprawled on the floor beside Sam.

“I won’t lie, he deserved it for what he did to Ben and my mother,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “But it’s still hard to see him so utterly...ruined.” A tear escaped her bottom lid and slid silently down her cheek. “I guess it's hard to completely eliminate the fact that he’s my father, no matter how much of a monster he’s become.” She gulped, emotion shuddering through her frame. “We should get them out of here and to a hospital as soon as possible.”

“I can carry Ben,” said Link as he strode from the front door to Ben’s still frame. He stooped and slipped his hands gingerly between Ben and the floor, then swept him into his arms as if he weighed as much as a feather.

“I’ll call Charles and have him meet us outside,” said Sam as she watched Link gently make his way to the entryway. She slipped her phone from her pocket and quickly navigated to Charles’s contact information.

“Charles?” said Sam, ensuring the connection was successful as she heard the line click to life.

“Were you successful?” asked Charles, his voice slightly crackling due to the poor reception in the parking garage.

“Yeah, but we need to get Ben to the hospital,” she said.

“I’m leaving the garage now, I should be able to pick you up in front of the building in a few minutes,” he said before disconnecting the line. Sam slid her phone back into her pocket, then spun to find Eva hovering just behind her.

“Go,” she said. “I know you want to be with my brother when he wakes up again, and I know he’ll want you there too. I can handle the clean up here.” She waved her arms behind her at the destroyed pieces of furniture littering the room and the broken form of her father. Sam’s eyes darted from Mr. Lawson to Eva, remorse swimming in her irises. Eva seemed to understand the gesture as she smiled sadly.

“I’m sad things ended up this way,” said Eva as she cast a side-long glance at her father, who was currently splayed across the couch, drool pooling beneath his chin as his eyes danced between two lights on the ceiling in the kitchen. “I also know that this wasn’t your fault, at all. He put you in this position and forced your hand.” She laid a gentle, comforting hand on Sam’s arm. “I know you would have avoided this if you could, and I’m grateful for that. I wouldn’t have been nearly as kind if I confronted my boyfriend’s captor.”

“Wait, boyfriend?” Sam said, her voice panicked. “He hasn’t...I mean we haven’t…” Eva chuckled as Sam’s face heated with embarrassment at suddenly being put on the spot. From the corner of her eye, Sam caught Angela and Collin glance at one another from their lounging spots in the kitchen, grinning slightly.

“I was just teasing a bit,” said Eva, a slight twinkle shining in her eyes. “Though I’d be really surprised if things don’t turn out that way after this. He clearly thinks a lot about you, and after today, it’s clear you feel the same.” Sam grinned, the embarrassment still swimming in her pit of her stomach, but it was joined with a feeling of excited anticipation.

“You should go and catch up with Link before he catches the elevator without you,” said Eva as she gestured to the front door. Sam glanced behind her, and noted Link had indeed disappeared into the hallway beyond.

“You’re right, thank you Eva, for everything,” said Sam as she hurriedly threw herself into a tearful embrace with Eva. She pulled away and swiped an errant, joyful tear from her cheeks.

Sam spun on her heels and dashed through the penthouse’s entrance, then jogged to catch up with Link, who had nearly reached the bend in the hallway. She silently thought of how lucky she and Ben were to be surrounded by friends that were willing to, quite literally, walk through fire for them. She smiled up at Link, who returned it with a warm smile of his own, as the two of them headed for the golden elevator doors before them.


	11. Together At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion of Mind Games! Sam and Ben are finally reunited, and they get the chance to confess their feelings to one another.

The rhythmic chime of the electronic monitor beside him slowly swam through Ben’s mind, pulling him from the bleakness through which he floated. His eyelids fluttered, revealing a blur of white tiles and dim fluorescent lights that slowly sharpened with each blink. His right hand clenched as his left lifted to his forehead, a groan escaping his lips. A weight draped against the small portion of available bed space stirred slightly. His eyes widened and his head snapped to the side as he heard the person beside him slowly push themselves to a seated position in the chair shoved next to his cot.

“Ben?” exclaimed a bleary eyed Sam as she forced herself awake. The dull pink hues of the early morning hours crept across the grey sky beyond the large hospital windows behind her, lighting the side of her face softly.

“Sam?” Ben croaked, his throat scratching to the point where even a simple word stabbed like a thousand needles. Sam watched him grimace as he spoke and dove for the plastic cup of water beside her.

“Here,” she said, gingerly handing him the cup as he dug his forearms into the plastic bed and struggled into a reclined seat. He gratefully accepted the cup and brought the cool liquid to his lips, relishing the sensation as the icy water slipped down his parched throat.

“Thanks,” he said, his eyes shimmering as the realization of Sam’s being here and his surroundings slammed into him. “Not just for the water Sam, but for everything. Even though I couldn’t speak, I saw what you did to save me.” His eyes met hers, then traveled down to the bruises blooming on her neck. “I’m...I’m so sorry I wasn’t strong enough to…” his voice trailed away as he clenched the cup in his hand. He crushed the soft plastic beneath his whitened knuckles.

“Ben, I know that wasn’t you,” said Sam as she placed a gentle hand atop his clenched fist. “You don’t need to take the blame. I’m okay, and you’re okay. That’s what matters, in the end.” She smiled as she met his eyes, a smile that glimmered in her eyes and radiated through every inch of her skin as her fingers tightened over his.

“Sam,” Ben breathed as he slid his free hand over hers, squeezing her fingers. “I know we just met.” Ben swiped his thumb against the back of Sam’s hand, his heart fluttering. Nervousness bubbled in his stomach, threatening to release what little contents it contained. He could feel the words that he wanted to say brushing against his lips, screaming in his mind, but his apprehension kept them chained.

“Yeah, I know,” said Sam, her eyes suddenly downcast. She kept her hand placed on top of Ben’s, but her grip loosened slightly. She bit her lower lip, as if she too was struggling to procure the words she was desperate to say. She seemed to make a decision as she suddenly snapped her gaze to meet his, her eyes burning fiercely.

“I...I know I’m not experienced in...this,” she motioned towards their clasped hands. “But I need to be honest with you, and with myself. I’ve been crazy about you ever since we met, and the insanity of the last twenty four hours has only made that more clear in my mind. I was nervous to tell you because I know it's kind of soon to admit, but I feel like I just can’t fight it anymore.” She snapped her eyes closed and lowered her head, as if the mortification sat like a heavy weight on the back of her neck. Ben’s eyes widened as her confession swirled in his mind, chipping away at the chains which kept his thoughts tethered. He released her hand, his mouth slightly agape as the swell of emotions crashed over him.

“Ben, I’m sorry, I was too…” Sam started, but he gently slid his hand beneath her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his.

“Sam, don’t apologize for saying what you think,” he said gently, his eyes stinging. “I didn’t respond immediately, not because I’m upset, but because I...I feel the same way.” His mind screamed to retract the words and save himself from future heart ache, but his heart smashed the thoughts aside, taking center stage.

“I’ve been slowly falling for you after the day we met, but I’ve been...holding myself back,” said Ben, his eyes shimmering. “I didn’t want to rush things and lose what we were building between us. I was afraid of making that leap, because I’d done it before, and it ended quickly.” A tear slipped down his cheek as his emotions crested, overtaking him in a mixture of sadness and overwhelming joy. “Hearing you say what I’ve been thinking for weeks...Sam I’m honestly so happy I could cry. Heck, I _am_ crying.” He chuckled as he swiped away the stray tear. Sam giggled along with him, tears flowing freely down her own cheeks.

“When I’m out of the hospital, do you want to go out with me?” Ben said, nearly breathless as the words whispered from his lips.

“I’d love that Ben,” said Sam as she squeezed his hand. Ben felt as if he were soaring higher than any height he’d ever achieved with his many flights across the sky. He slipped his hand from beneath Sam’s and cupped her cheeks, pulling her closer until their lips caressed one another. Sam slipped her hands behind Ben’s neck, crushing her lips against his as they lost themselves in the kiss for a moment. The slightly frantic beep of the heart monitor in the room brought them back to the present. They reluctantly pulled apart, though Sam’s eyes seemed to burn with the same passion he remembered from the kiss before her door after their first date. The fire behind it left Ben begging for more, but he shoved the feeling aside, saving it for a moment when they could truly have some privacy.

“So...I noticed you’re calling me Ben now,” he said carefully as he threaded his fingers with Sam’s.

“Yeah, I found out in the process of figuring out how to save you,” Sam said as she chewed her thumb with her free hand.

“I’m sorry you had to find out that way,” said Ben, his face falling slightly. “I wanted to tell you during our first date, but I was afraid.”

“Afraid of your dad finding you?” asked Sam.

“A bit of that,” said Ben. “But even more than that, I hated having to lie to you from the start, and I was afraid of how you’d react when you found out that I wasn’t the person you thought I was.”

“I won’t lie, I was a little upset about it at first,” said Sam, tightening her fingers around Ben’s. “But it wasn’t because you lied about your identity. I understood that, and I would have understood if you told me from the beginning. I was more upset that you didn’t tell me at all.” Ben cast his eyes down at the scratchy white bed sheets spread over his legs, bracing for disappointment.

“But Ben, I realized pretty quickly that was a lot for me to expect of you.” Sam reached over the bed and gently slid her hand over his cheek, tugging him to meet her smiling face. “I know that you would have told me when you were ready. I understand. Just don’t keep things from me in the future, okay?” Ben smiled warmly, happiness flooding from his chest and racing through every inch of his being. He slipped his hand along Sam’s wrist, his fingers brushing the back of her hand.

“It’s a promise,” he muttered. They sat in silence for a moment, Ben relishing the warm touch of Sam’s hand resting on his cheek, when he suddenly remembered the major question still rattling about his skull.

“My dad, what happened to him?” he asked. Sam slipped her hand back at her side, the other still firmly laced with Ben’s. She fidgeted in her seat nervously, her free hand gripping the edge of her chair.

“Eva made sure he got an ambulance once she got the rest of our friends out of the building,” explained Sam. She seemed reluctant to speak for a moment, but forced herself to level her gaze with Ben as she continued. “When I broke your dad’s mind control, it was like there was a violent...recoil. Eva told me that he....”. Sam paused as she swallowed back tears. “He’s never going to fully recover. The recoil burned away most of his functionality.” She couldn’t keep back the tears anymore as they broke free in a pained sob. “Ben, I’m so sorry. When we came to save you, I never thought...I never imagined I’d end up…”. She devolved into sobs that shook her frame, her fist clenched in her lap as tears stained her dirtied jeans.

“Sam,” exclaimed Ben as he released Sam’s hand and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The IV attached to his hand rattled slightly as the IV pole squeaked closer cot. His unsteady feet hit the floor, but he ignored his body’s urge to crash to the ground. He slipped his arms around her, crushing her against him in a comforting embrace.

“Don’t apologize for what my father forced you to do,” he said as he buried his face in her hair and gently stroked her back. “He deserved every ounce of what he got. He did something similar to my mom. He used his mind control on her so frequently after she tried to leave him that it rotted her mind. It’s fitting that the same happened to him. I’m just sorry you had to be involved at all Sam.”

Ben held her as her sobs slowly subsided, his hand gently traveling up and down her spine. Sam broke away a few moments later, her face puffy and cheeks damp with tears. Ben removed his hand from her back and brushed away the remaining moisture. He rested his hand against the side of her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. He felt the overwhelming urge to close what little distance remained between them, to crash his lips against hers, but he fought it. He knew if he relented, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

“You said Eva got our friends out. Why don’t you tell me all about how you came to my rescue, I’d love to hear it. You can skip the end bit though, I already know how the story ends.” Ben winked cheekily, causing Sam to chuckle. She nodded and took a calming breath before animatedly launching into the tale of how she assembled a rag-tag rescue squad and broke into the fortress that was his father’s penthouse.

\--------------------------- Five Months Later ---------------------------

Sam fished the keys to her apartment from her purse and slid the key into the lock. A pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist as she felt stubble brush against her neck. Ben rested his head on her shoulder, his musky cologne wafting tantalizingly into Sam’s nostrils.

“So we’re going to your place tonight?” he purred seductively as he nibbled her ear lobe. A groan escaped Sam’s lips as it felt like she couldn’t open the front door fast enough. She shoved against the steel door as soon as the lock slipped free of the latch. Her core thrummed as they crashed through the entryway, shoes abandoned quickly as Ben’s hands traveled to the button of her pants. Their tongues danced as their lips crushed against one another, both feeling the desperate need to be impossibly closer with each passing minute. Sam slipped Ben’s shirt over his head with ease and ran her fingers seductively along his abs, following the scruff of his abdomen to the belt holding his pants to his waist. She tugged and quickly rid him of the belt as well as he quickly did away with her shirt. Ben wrapped his arms tightly around her lower back, and suddenly they were floating through the apartment towards her bedroom. Bowser snoozed on the sofa, blissfully unaware of Sam and Ben as they drifted towards the bed, their limbs tangled with one another.

Ben deftly snapped the fasteners of Sam’s bra free and allowed it to drop to the floor a foot below them. He ran his hands along her chest, thumbing her breast as he slowly made his way downward. Sam moaned as his fingers inched closer to where she desperately wanted them to be. Ben smirked as he skimmed a finger along the line of her underwear teasingly. Sam snapped open a telepathic communication with Ben, as her lips seemed unable to function.

“Just come inside, I can’t take it anymore,” she screamed along the channel, flooding him with the white hot lust raging through her bones as his own began to pour down the link. Ben growled as he flicked her underwear to the ground and floated her gently to the bed. He bent down and kissed from her shoulder up to her ear in that methodically slow way that set her ablaze with desire.

“So you want me right now, huh?” he purred as his hand slipped up her thigh. Sam gasped and shuddered at his touch. She used her telekinesis to rip off Ben’s jeans and boxers, her only barrier to the melding of their bodies that she so craved. He grinned as he removed his hand and positioned himself just before her gates. She felt the rumble of his passion down their telepathic link. Unable to wait any longer, she closed that gap between them.

They gasped in unison as Sam felt him slowly enter her. She lost all sense of her surroundings as they danced against one another, grinding faster until that ecstasy of climax suddenly screamed through her every fiber. As Sam felt that shuddering electricity rumble through her, she felt a second wave slam into her brain and tingle through her as Ben climaxed along with her.

They both tumbled into the sheets as they broke apart, sweat and gasping for breath. A moment of silence settled between them. A silence that wasn’t strange, but rather comforting, as they drank in the presence of one another. Ben turned and pulled Sam to his chest, his hand lazily tracing circles on her stomach as his hazy eyes roved her face.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get over to this telepathic sex,” he murmured as he buried his head in her neck. “It’s the most addicting thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“I don’t think I will either,” breathed Sam as she felt his warm breath caress the shell of her ear. She ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the rumbling of desire slowly building once again within her.

Along the link, they had a twin thought, which was _I hope I don’t have to ever stop experiencing it._


End file.
